Patent classifications
H10N30/702
Piezoelectric element
A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric layer containing a helical chiral polymer exhibiting piezoelectric properties, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, a first coupling portion provided on the first electrode layer, and a second coupling portion provided on the second electrode layer, in which an overlapped portion where the piezoelectric layer, the first electrode layer, and the second electrode layer overlap is circular shaped when viewed along a thickness direction of the piezoelectric layer, and the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion overlap with a center of the overlapped portion when viewed along the thickness direction of the piezoelectric layer.
Injection-molded article of polymer piezoelectric material, piezoelectric element, apparatus for manufacturing injection-molded article of polymer piezoelectric material, and method for manufacturing injection-molded article of polymer piezoelectric material
An injection-molded article of polymer piezoelectric material includes: a helical chiral polymer constituted by a polymer chain and having a unit cell with an a-axis, a b-axis, and a c-axis as crystal axes, wherein b-axis<a-axis<c-axis in terms of lengths of the crystal axes, the c-axis is parallel to a long chain direction of the polymer chain, the helical chiral polymer is a crystal in which the b-axis is uniaxially oriented, and the injection-molded article has piezoelectricity.
Piezoelectric textiles produced via electrospinning
A piezoelectric fabric can include: a non-woven, continuous fiber mat comprising: a polymer; and a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic particles. The piezoelectric fabric can be produced by electrospinning. The method of electrospinning can include: forming a continuous fiber of material comprising: flowing a fluid through a needle, wherein the fluid comprises: the polymer; a base fluid; and the piezoelectric ceramic particles; and applying a voltage to create an electric field between a tip of the needle and a collector during fluid flow; and collecting the continuous fiber on the collector. The piezoelectric fabric can exhibit improved performance and piezo thermal stability.
Piezoelectric nerve guidance and regeneration
A method of activating a piezoelectric neuroconduit guide scaffold including a plurality of aligned piezoelectric polymer nanofibers, the method including mechanically stimulating the piezoelectric neuroconduit guide scaffold with hydro-acoustic waves or shockwaves to remotely activate a piezoelectric effect of the nanofibrous scaffolds that induces a mechano-electrical stimulus on neural cells cultured on the scaffold, wherein the mechano-electrical stimulus promotes nerve fiber outgrowth from the neuronal cells. Some aspects relate to seeding individual components of neural tissues on the piezoelectric neuroconduit guide scaffold, wherein the hydro-acoustic stimulation induces neural tissue formation. In other aspects, the piezoelectric neuroconduit guide scaffold is implanted in a damaged neural tissue, wherein stimulating the piezoelectric neuroconduit guide scaffold by the application of shockwaves promotes nerve fiber outgrowth that bridges a nerve gap to induce nerve regeneration or reinnervation of the damaged neural tissue.