Stretchable Unsymmetrical Piezoelectric BaTiO₃ Composite Hydrogel for Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Multimodal Sensors

Improving output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is crucial for expanding their applications in smart devices, especially for flexible and wearable bioelectronics. In this study, we design and fabricate a flexible, stretchable, and highly transparent TENG based on an unsymmetrical PAM/BTO composite film, made of polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel and BaTiO3 nanocubes (BTO NCs, BTO), and the TENG performance can be tailored by adjusting the amount and distribution location of BTO. The stretchable hydrogel electrode could bear over 8 times stretching. By changing the content and distribution location of BTO in the unsymmetrical hydrogel film, the output of the fabricated TENGs could be improved, acting as pressure sensors with high sensitivity to distinguish a spectrum of forces (0.25–6 N) at the low frequency. The mechanism of the enhanced output performance of the PAM/BTO composite hydrogel-based TENG is discussed in detail. By integrating piezoresistive, piezoelectric, and triboelectric effects, the optimized TENG and piezoresistive sensors are used as multimodal biomechanical sensors for detecting the motions of human bodies, pressure, and curvature with high sensitivity

Piezotronic Effect-Augmented Cu_2–<i>x</i>O–BaTiO₃ Sonosensitizers for Multifunctional Cancer Dynamic Therapy

Ultrasound (US)-triggered sonodynamic therapy (SDT) based on semiconductor nanomaterials has attracted considerable attention for cancer therapy. However, most inorganic sonosensitizers suffer from low efficiency due to the rapid recombination of electron–hole pairs. Herein, the Cu2–xO–BaTiO3 piezoelectric heterostructure was fabricated as a sonosensitizer and chemodynamic agent, simultaneously, for improving reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and cancer therapeutic outcome. Under US irradiation, the Cu2–xO–BaTiO3 heterojunction with a piezotronic effect exhibits high-performance singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) generation to enhance SDT. Moreover, it possesses Fenton-like reaction activity to convert endogenous H2O2 into •OH for chemodynamic therapy (CDT). The integration of SDT and CDT substantially boosts ROS generation and cellular mitochondria damage, and the in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate high cytotoxicity and tumor inhibition on murine refractory breast cancer. This work realizes improvement in cancer therapy using piezoelectric heterostructures with piezotronic effects

Stretchable Unsymmetrical Piezoelectric BaTiO₃ Composite Hydrogel for Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Multimodal Sensors

Improving output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is crucial for expanding their applications in smart devices, especially for flexible and wearable bioelectronics. In this study, we design and fabricate a flexible, stretchable, and highly transparent TENG based on an unsymmetrical PAM/BTO composite film, made of polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel and BaTiO3 nanocubes (BTO NCs, BTO), and the TENG performance can be tailored by adjusting the amount and distribution location of BTO. The stretchable hydrogel electrode could bear over 8 times stretching. By changing the content and distribution location of BTO in the unsymmetrical hydrogel film, the output of the fabricated TENGs could be improved, acting as pressure sensors with high sensitivity to distinguish a spectrum of forces (0.25–6 N) at the low frequency. The mechanism of the enhanced output performance of the PAM/BTO composite hydrogel-based TENG is discussed in detail. By integrating piezoresistive, piezoelectric, and triboelectric effects, the optimized TENG and piezoresistive sensors are used as multimodal biomechanical sensors for detecting the motions of human bodies, pressure, and curvature with high sensitivity

Stretchable Unsymmetrical Piezoelectric BaTiO₃ Composite Hydrogel for Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Multimodal Sensors

Improving output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is crucial for expanding their applications in smart devices, especially for flexible and wearable bioelectronics. In this study, we design and fabricate a flexible, stretchable, and highly transparent TENG based on an unsymmetrical PAM/BTO composite film, made of polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel and BaTiO3 nanocubes (BTO NCs, BTO), and the TENG performance can be tailored by adjusting the amount and distribution location of BTO. The stretchable hydrogel electrode could bear over 8 times stretching. By changing the content and distribution location of BTO in the unsymmetrical hydrogel film, the output of the fabricated TENGs could be improved, acting as pressure sensors with high sensitivity to distinguish a spectrum of forces (0.25–6 N) at the low frequency. The mechanism of the enhanced output performance of the PAM/BTO composite hydrogel-based TENG is discussed in detail. By integrating piezoresistive, piezoelectric, and triboelectric effects, the optimized TENG and piezoresistive sensors are used as multimodal biomechanical sensors for detecting the motions of human bodies, pressure, and curvature with high sensitivity

Stretchable Unsymmetrical Piezoelectric BaTiO₃ Composite Hydrogel for Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Multimodal Sensors

Improving output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is crucial for expanding their applications in smart devices, especially for flexible and wearable bioelectronics. In this study, we design and fabricate a flexible, stretchable, and highly transparent TENG based on an unsymmetrical PAM/BTO composite film, made of polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel and BaTiO3 nanocubes (BTO NCs, BTO), and the TENG performance can be tailored by adjusting the amount and distribution location of BTO. The stretchable hydrogel electrode could bear over 8 times stretching. By changing the content and distribution location of BTO in the unsymmetrical hydrogel film, the output of the fabricated TENGs could be improved, acting as pressure sensors with high sensitivity to distinguish a spectrum of forces (0.25–6 N) at the low frequency. The mechanism of the enhanced output performance of the PAM/BTO composite hydrogel-based TENG is discussed in detail. By integrating piezoresistive, piezoelectric, and triboelectric effects, the optimized TENG and piezoresistive sensors are used as multimodal biomechanical sensors for detecting the motions of human bodies, pressure, and curvature with high sensitivity

Self-Driven Electrical Stimulation-Promoted Cancer Catalytic Therapy and Chemotherapy Based on an Implantable Nanofibrous Patch

The efficacy of cancer catalytic therapy is still hindered by the inefficient generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Herein, we report a self-driven electrical stimulation-promoted cancer catalytic therapy and chemotherapy by integrating a human-driven triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with an implantable and biodegradable nanofibrous patch. The gelatin/polycaprolactone nanofibrous patch incorporates doxorubicin (DOX) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), in which the peroxidase (POD)-like activity of g-C3N4 to produce hydroxyl radical (•OH) can be distinctly enhanced by the self-driven electrical stimulation for 4.12-fold, and simultaneously DOX can be released to synergize the therapy, especially under a weakly acidic tumor microenvironment (TME) condition. The in vitro and in vivo experimental results on a mouse breast cancer model demonstrate superior tumor suppression outcome. The self-powered electrical stimulation-enhanced catalytic therapy and chemotherapy via multifunctional nanofibrous patches proposes a new complementary strategy for the catalytic therapy of solid tumors