Dielectric, piezoelectric, and ferroelectric nanomaterials in the biomedical applications

Abstract

We have witnessed the flourish of bioelectronics, brain–computer interface, and brain science programme in recent decades. In this review, the up-to-date advances of dielectric, piezoelectric, and ferroelectric nanomaterials in the biomedical applications are summarised. Biomolecular detection methods have been developed, including dielectric-gated field-effect transistor, dielectrophoresis, non-linear dielectric response, and optical tweezer. Endogenous bioelectricity is a crucial in cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, intracellular communication, neuronal activity, tissue growth. Piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials can be utilised as energy transducer to monitor physiological signal, such as blood pressure or respiration, and directly stimulate cell differentiation, neuronal regeneration, tissue repairment etc. They can also catalyse the electrochemical reaction of organisms through piezoelectricity. The intrinsic relevance between neuronal and ferroelectric polarisation signals inspires the application of the ferroelectrics in the modern intelligent bioelectronics like the artificial retina.