Water‐Stable, Biodegradable, and Flexible Glycine‐Based Piezoelectrics via Multi‐Length‐Scale Composite Engineering

ABSTRACT Biomolecular piezoelectrics offer promising alternatives to ceramics for transient electronics and medical devices due to their intrinsic biocompatibility and biodegradability. Among them, β‐glycine exhibits high piezoelectricity, but its practical applications are severely limited by its inherent rigidity and its rapid destabilization in water‐rich environments. Here, we present a multi‐length‐scale engineering strategy that integrates molecular phase selection and stabilization with crystalline alignment and mesoscale composite design. β‐glycine crystals are incorporated as discrete inclusions within a continuous soft hydrophobic Poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) matrix and co‐assembled with racemic DL‐methionine (DLM) to stabilize the piezoelectric β‐phase. A dual‐nozzle electrohydrodynamic spraying printing (DESP) method enables synchronized assembly, phase selection, and controlled orientation. The resulting 0–3 composites exhibit improved flexibility (469 MPa) and a high piezoelectric coefficient (175 mV m/N). The composites maintain β‐phase stability for over two months in aqueous environments, compared to rapid dissolution within seconds or phase transformation within hours for bare crystals. This work establishes a general framework for stabilizing metastable molecular piezoelectrics within flexible matrices for long‐term bio‐integrated applications interfacing with soft living systems.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2026-09-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.78513
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
article

Water‐Stable, Biodegradable, and Flexible Glycine‐Based Piezoelectrics via Multi‐Length‐Scale Composite Engineering

Zhangying Xu, Zhuomin Zhang, Choeun Kim, Vivian R. Feig et al.
Advanced Functional Materials
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
article

Water‐Stable, Biodegradable, and Flexible Glycine‐Based Piezoelectrics via Multi‐Length‐Scale Composite Engineering

Zhangying Xu, Zhuomin Zhang, Choeun Kim, Vivian R. Feig, Ashka Patel, Run Shi, Chen Dai
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Biomolecular piezoelectrics offer promising alternatives to ceramics for transient electronics and medical devices due to their intrinsic biocompatibility and biodegradability. Among them, β‐glycine exhibits high piezoelectricity, but its practical applications are severely limited by its inherent rigidity and its rapid destabilization in water‐rich environments. Here, we present a multi‐length‐scale engineering strategy that integrates molecular phase selection and stabilization with crystalline alignment and mesoscale composite design. β‐glycine crystals are incorporated as discrete inclusions within a continuous soft hydrophobic Poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) matrix and co‐assembled with racemic DL‐methionine (DLM) to stabilize the piezoelectric β‐phase. A dual‐nozzle electrohydrodynamic spraying printing (DESP) method enables synchronized assembly, phase selection, and controlled orientation. The resulting 0–3 composites exhibit improved flexibility (469 MPa) and a high piezoelectric coefficient (175 mV m/N). The composites maintain β‐phase stability for over two months in aqueous environments, compared to rapid dissolution within seconds or phase transformation within hours for bare crystals. This work establishes a general framework for stabilizing metastable molecular piezoelectrics within flexible matrices for long‐term bio‐integrated applications interfacing with soft living systems.

Advanced Functional Materials
Stanford University (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 20%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Water‐Stable, Biodegradable, and Flexible Glycine‐Based Piezoelectrics via Multi‐Length‐Scale Composite Engineering — Zhangying Xu, Zhuomin Zhang, et al. · Advanced Functional Materials (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS