Abstract
Piezoelectric materials have emerged as versatile platforms with transformative potential in biomedical research, yet their clinical translation remains limited. This mini review examines how these materials generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under mechanical stimulation to regulate biological processes, enabling antibacterial activity, wound repairing, tissue regeneration, and targeted cancer therapy through piezodynamic, chemodynamic, and photothermal pathways. Beyond treatment, piezoelectric materials facilitate controlled drug and gene delivery and function as self-powered biosensors for real-time monitoring. To this end, we also discuss key challenges hindering clinical translation, including instability, precipitation, fabrication complexity, and long-term biocompatibility, and conclude by outlining future strategies for developing flexible, biodegradable, AI-integrated platforms for precision and adaptive healthcare.
1 Introduction
The field of biomedical engineering has witnessed a rapid evolution in recent years, with increasing emphasis on the integration of smart materials that can respond dynamically to biological environments (Chorsi et al., 2019; Deng et al., 2022; Soe et al., 2025). Among these, piezoelectric materials have emerged as a particularly promising class due to their unique ability to convert mechanical stimuli into electrical signals (Ali et al., 2023a; Ali et al., 2023b; Roy et al., 2025a). This electromechanical coupling not only allows for the generation of electrical potentials in response to deformation or stress but also facilitates the initiation of biochemical processes at the cellular and molecular levels. In biomedical research, such functionality has opened new avenues for therapeutic and diagnostic innovations, from promoting tissue regeneration to enabling self-powered sensing systems (Yu et al., 2024a; Wang et al., 2023). Although piezoelectric materials have recently gained attention in biomedical applications for their ability to mediate reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation through piezodynamic therapy (PZDT) (Roy et al., 2025b). This property has positioned them at the intersection of science and technology, supporting a broad spectrum of applications (Chen et al., 2020). Their appeal lies in characteristics such as fast response, high precision, tunable properties, structural diversity, and the capacity to operate across wide frequency ranges (Gao et al., 2025). Despite this progress, the translation of piezoelectric materials into clinical settings remains constrained by several technical and biological challenges, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of their multifunctionality and crosslinking capabilities (Pang et al., 2025; Zhu et al., 2025).
Piezoelectric materials, including ceramics such as barium titanate (BaTiO3) and polymers like polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), have been widely studied for their ability to generate localized electric fields under mechanical stimulation. These electric fields can influence cell proliferation, differentiation, and communication, making them particularly valuable in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. More recently, research has revealed that piezoelectric materials can also catalyze the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under mechanical stress, which is known as ‘piezocatalysis’. Reactive oxygen species, when properly controlled, play a critical role in regulating a wide range of biological activities, including antibacterial defense, wound healing, and cancer cell apoptosis (Wang et al., 2025; Yu et al., 2024b). Thus, the piezodynamic effect of these materials introduces a novel therapeutic mechanism that operates without external chemical agents, relying instead on intrinsic material properties and physical stimulation.
In biomedical research, piezoelectric materials hold a distinct advantage, as their properties can be tuned under controlled conditions using external stimuli such as stress, temperature, or applied fields (Ma et al., 2021; Roy et al., 2025b). This ability creates a direct bridge between mechanical processes in the body and electrical and biochemical responses, making them ideal candidates for biomedical applications (Mondal D et al., 2025; Muhammad et al., 2025). Through this, piezoelectric platforms connect material science with biological systems, enabling advances in tissue repair, cellular regulation, localized therapies, diagnostic technologies, and carrying a distinctive therapy named PZDT (L. Wang et al., 2023).
This multifunctional capability has inspired the design of piezoelectric nanoplatforms that integrate various therapeutic modalities. For instance, the synergistic combination of piezodynamic, chemodynamic, and photothermal effects allows for targeted and efficient treatment strategies. In antibacterial applications, mechanically activated piezoelectric nanoparticles can disrupt bacterial membranes and generate ROS, leading to sterilization without antibiotics. Similarly, in cancer therapy, piezoelectric nanomaterials enable site-specific tumor ablation through localized oxidative stress and hyperthermia, minimizing systemic side effects. Moreover, the piezoelectric effect enhances cellular signaling pathways that promote angiogenesis and tissue regeneration, making these materials suitable for wound repair and bone healing. Such cross-disciplinary applications underscore the transformative potential of piezoelectric nanotechnology in the biomedical landscape. In tissue engineering, piezoelectric scaffolds can deliver localized electrical signals that encourage cell growth, differentiation, and regeneration, especially in bone and neural tissues. For wound healing, their piezocatalytic properties help fight bacterial infections, while their ability to release charge carriers supports oxidative stress control and speeds up repair (L. Wang et al., 2023).
Beyond therapeutic uses, piezoelectric materials are also being harnessed for biosensing and controlled drug delivery. Their inherent ability to produce electrical signals in response to physiological motion allows for the development of self-powered biosensors that can continuously monitor biochemical markers such as glucose, pH, and stress hormones. Recently, the development of new piezoelectric nanomaterials has further strengthened their biomedical relevance. Lead-free ceramics, 2D layered structures, and biocompatible composites such as barium titanate (BTO), black phosphorus, and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) are showing excellent dielectric, ferroelectric, and biocompatible properties (Jin et al., 2023; Li et al., 2014; Lipatov et al., 2015). These materials can interact safely with biological systems while maintaining high functional performance, placing them at the center of efforts to design next-generation biomedical devices that are both sustainable and clinically translatable (Yang et al., 2020). The convergence of piezoelectric technology with advanced nanofabrication, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence further strengthens its role in next-generation medical devices.
However, several challenges continue to hinder the clinical translation of piezoelectric nanoplatforms. Issues such as material instability, nanoparticle aggregation, fabrication complexity, and potential cytotoxicity must be systematically addressed (Ullah et al., 2024a; Yang et al., 2020). Furthermore, achieving long-term biocompatibility and biodegradability remains essential for safe in vivo applications. Overcoming these limitations requires interdisciplinary collaboration that bridges materials science, nanotechnology, and biomedical engineering. Future research directions are expected to focus on the development of flexible, stretchable, and bioresorbable piezoelectric materials that can integrate seamlessly with biological tissues. The incorporation of artificial intelligence and machine learning could further optimize the performance of these platforms, enabling adaptive and precision-driven therapies (Roy et al., 2025a).
This mini-review examines the transformative potential of piezoelectric materials in biomedical research, emphasizing their unique properties that modulate biological processes by exploring their multifunctional applications. From dynamic antibacterial therapy and accelerated tissue regeneration to targeted cancer interventions, controlled drug delivery, and self-powered biosensing, this work highlights both the opportunities and the challenges in translating these platforms to clinical practice. Through a critical discussion of mechanistic insights, practical limitations, and emerging strategies, this work sets the stage for translating piezoelectric innovations from the lab to real-world precision medicine and adaptive healthcare. Recent progress in piezoelectric nanocomposites has expanded their biomedical applications, ranging from controlled ROS generation to immune modulation and targeted tumor ablation. Figure 1 demonstrates a representative example, where piezoelectric material DGKNO cloaked with a U87 glioma cell membrane (CDGKNO) enables ultrasound-driven PZDT for precise glioma therapy, underscoring the translational potential of these materials in precision medicine.
FIGURE 1
Illustration of the potential of piezoelectric nanocomposites in biomedical applications. (A) DGKNO cloaked with U87 glioma cell membrane (CDGKNO) for targeted piezodynamic therapy (PZDT) of subcutaneous glioma. Adapted with permission from Small, copyright © Wiley-VCH. (Ullah et al., 2024b). (B) Photographs of MRSA-infected wounds treated with different samples from day 0 to day 8. Scale bar: 5 mm. (C) Schematic representation of MRSA-infected wounds and corresponding photographs of MRSA colonies on agar plates under various treatments on days 0, 2, 5, and 8. (D) Average infection area growth curves of MRSA-infected mice in different groups (n = 5). (E) Colony counts of live MRSA in infected wounds after 8 days of treatment (n = 5, mean ± SD). Panels (B–E) Adapted with permission from Advanced Functional Materials, copyright © Wiley-VCH (Dai et al., 2025). (F) Schematic overview of human physiological sensing locations and pulse rate monitoring using a piezoelectric sensor. Adapted with permission from Small, copyright © Wiley-VCH (Mondal B et al., 2025).
2 Working mechanisms of piezoelectric effect: production of reactive radicals
The piezoelectric effect is a conversion of mechanical energy into electric energy of certain materials with some structural lattice deformation. Depending on the non-centrosymmetric structure of the piezoelectric material, materials undergo a generation of electrical energy when it is subjected to some mechanical stress (Roy et al., 2024). This phenomenon generally arises from the displacement of the positive and negative charge centers in the lattice, leading to the generation of electric dipoles. These piezoelectric efficiencies are characterized by the Piezoelectric force microscopy (PFM), P-E loops, and some dielectric measurements. These characteristics deeply analyze the ability of polarization, energy conversion efficiency, etc. These are the key factors for generating ROS, determining the multifunctionality of the piezoelectric materials in different biomedical applications (Yuan et al., 2024).
Piezoelectric materials have recently attracted interest for their ability to couple mechanical forces with electrochemical responses (Tu et al., 2020). A key outcome of this process is the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RONS) (Konchekov et al., 2021). These molecules play a dual role in biology: at low levels, they act as essential regulators of cellular function, while at higher levels, they can be harnessed to produce therapeutic effects. ROS include both radical and non-radical forms. Radical species such as superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, and nitric oxide are highly reactive, while non-radical forms hydrogen peroxide, singlet oxygen, ozone, and hypochlorous acid act as stable intermediates. Under the mechanical stress and electric field, the electrons and holes are separated, and piezo-generated electrons take place in the redox reaction to produce the superoxide radicals, and the holes oxidize water to generate hydroxyl radicals. Different singlet oxygen is produced as a byproduct of the radical formation (Tu et al., 2020; Xu W et al., 2024). The detailed mechanism of ROS generation is depicted through the equations given below.
In healthy systems, ROS are naturally produced during metabolism in mitochondria, peroxisomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum, as well as by enzymatic activity at the plasma membrane. At physiological concentrations, they serve as short-lived messengers that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and immune defense (Ozougwu, 2016). But when overproduced, however, they trigger oxidative stress, damaging DNA, proteins, and lipids, which can lead to apoptosis or other degenerative disorders (Khlyustova et al., 2019; Konchekov et al., 2021).
RONS expand this concept by including nitrogen-derived molecules such as nitrogen dioxide and peroxynitrite. RONS mainly originated from Nitric oxide, commonly reacting with the ROS. Nitric Oxide reacts with the superoxide radical and generates peroxynitrite, and further Oxidation of the Nitric Oxide can easily give a pathway for nitrogen dioxide radicals (Aranda-Rivera et al., 2022).
These compounds are central to immune defense, inflammation, and redox regulation, but their excessive accumulation can also become highly cytotoxic. In piezoelectric materials, ROS and RONS are generated through piezocatalysis (Tu et al., 2020). Mechanical stress polarizes the crystal structure, producing localized electric fields that drive charge separation. Electrons reduce dissolved oxygen to form superoxide, while holes oxidize water molecules to yield hydroxyl radicals (Wang et al., 2022). In the presence of nitrogen compounds, additional reactive nitrogen intermediates can form. This process is similar to photocatalysis but is uniquely driven by mechanical forces such as ultrasound and even natural body movements, making it particularly suitable for biomedical use. Controlled production of ROS and RONS can eliminate drug-resistant bacteria in wounds, modulate signaling pathways for tissue repair, and selectively trigger apoptosis in tumor cells through PZDT (Liu et al., 2023). Clarifying the biological effectiveness of piezoelectric nanoplatforms requires a thorough grasp of the physicochemical basis for ROS and RNOS production mechanisms under piezoelectric stimulation. In addition to controlling radical production, the interaction of band structure modification, charge separation, and interfacial redox reactions also determines the biological processes that these species subsequently trigger. Building on this mechanistic framework, the next section outlines the strategic applications of such reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates, along with intrinsic piezoelectric coupling effects, in a variety of biomedical domains, such as tissue engineering, drug and gene delivery, antibacterial therapy, and piezoelectric cancer therapy. By linking mechanical energy to biochemical reactivity, piezoelectric materials provide a powerful and versatile platform for next-generation therapies in wound healing, oncology, and regenerative medicine.
3 Biomedical applications of piezoelectric materials
The integration of piezoelectric materials into biomedical research has given entirely new directions for healthcare innovation. To provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements, various studies employing piezoelectric materials under different external stimuli have been summarized. These investigations include a wide range of biomedical applications, including tissue regeneration, drug delivery, neural modulation, and cardiac repair, where mechanical or ultrasound-induced piezoelectric effects have been utilized to modulate biological responses. An overview of recent piezoelectric materials, their biomedical applications, external stimuli, and key findings from recent studies is summarized in Table 1.
TABLE 1
| Material used | Biomedical application | External stimuli | Role of the piezoelectric material | Implication | Key findings | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BiFeO3/PVDF | Antibacterial Therapy | US (10 KHz) | Simultaneous generation of ROS under the external stimuli | Disrupt the bacterial cell without using any antibiotics | >99% degradation of E faecalis within 30 min | Chen C et al. (2023) |
| Fe2+ impregnated BiOI | Antibacterial Therapy | US | Generating Reactive oxygen species under ultrasound effect | Bacterial cell rupture and disintegration | >99% degradation of MRSA within 30 min | Roy et al., 2025b |
| Ce-doped hollow BaTiO3 | Antibacterial therapy | US (1 MHz) | Successive generation of ROS along with singlet oxygen | Cell disintegration of bacteria by ROS | >90% degradation of MRSA and P. aeruginosa | Wei et al. (2023) |
| BG-KNN | Bone regeneration | US | Generate more ROS for tissue repairing | Cellular proliferation, superior bioactivity | 20% BG-KNN maximum bone implants and maintain bioactivity | Mao et al. (2025) |
| PVDF/p-BaTiO3 | Bone repairing | US | Provide electrochemical cues to cell | Cell adhesion, proliferation | Scaffold significantly improves the cell response by electric stimulation | Shuai et al. (2020) |
| SF/PVDF/Mxene | Nerve injury repair | US | Providing higher piezovoltage and antibacterial property | Supplies bioelectric stimulation and antibacterial activity and promotes nerve regeneration | Generate 100 mv piezovoltage and promote axon elongation, myelination | Zhang et al. (2023) |
| Cu2-xO-BaTiO3 heterostructure | Piezodynami cancer therapy | US | High-performance singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals | Combining ROS production, CDT for invasive cancer treatment | Improvement in cancer therapy by higher ROS and singlet oxygen production | Zhao et al. (2022) |
| T-BTO with thermosensitive hydrogel | Piezodynami cancer therapy | US | High-performance singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals | Offers minimally invasive, biocompatible, localized cancer treatment | Ultrasound enables high ROS production for the cancer cell irradiation with optimised biocompatibility | Zhu et al. (2020) |
| 0.7BiFeO3 -0.3BaTiO3 | Piezodynami cancer therapy | US | PEGylated 0.7BiFeO3 -0.3BaTiO3 with tuned band structure for ROS generation | Possible engineered band structure for ROS generation and successive therapy through CDT and SDT | Higher production rate of ROS with tuned structure and simultaneous in vivo, in vitro study for tumour disintegration | Lv et al. (2023) |
| Hydroxyapatite nanowire PBDF composite | Gene delivery | US | Higher piezoelectric voltage produces cell pores for intracellular delivery | Direct route to deliver the macromolecules to the adherent cells, intracellular payload delivery | Reversible membrane holes and intracellular delivery of FITC-dextran (approximately 75% efficiency) were created by ultrasound treatment. Under certain conditions, HeLa cells exhibited >50% uptake of 40 kDa dextran while maintaining approximately 90% viability | Dolai et al. (2023a) |
| BTO@hydrogel | Drug delivery | US | Under the ultrasound the key role to the generation of ROS for linkage breaking | Ultrasound-triggered ROS to break the linkages and the successive release of intra-tumoral injection | Generation of a significant amount of ROS for promotes the anticancer drug release to tumour microenvironments | Cui et al. (2025) |
| BaTiO3-Au | Bio sensing | US | Higher piezoelectric coefficient for ROS production in wireless cell therapy | Shows the targeted bioactivation and biosensing in cancer therapy | High piezoelectric constant (100 p.m./V), higher production of ROS targeting folate receptors in cancer cells | Dolai et al. (2023b) |
| PZT | Cancer marker sensing | US | High piezoelectric voltage and sensitivity can provide a better detection of cancer | Detection of α-fetoprotein (AFP) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) by altering resonance frequency; high sensitivity ∼0.25 ng/mL; quick detection ∼30 min; small sample sizes ∼1 µL | Rapid diagnostic tool for cancer detection | Su et al. (2017) |
Summary of piezoelectric materials and ultrasound-assisted biomedical applications reported in recent studies.
3.1 Piezoelectric materials for dynamic antibacterial therapy
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to pose a critical threat to global health, particularly in chronic infections, biofilm-associated medical devices, and drug-resistant pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (He et al., 2024). Piezoelectric materials have emerged as dynamic antibacterial platforms that enhance conventional strategies through mechanical activation, enabling localized and efficient bacterial inactivation and inhibition. Recent advances highlight diverse approaches to exploit piezoelectric effects for antibacterial purposes. Piezo-paint systems, which combine antibiotics with ultrasound treatment, demonstrated remarkable efficacy against S. Aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and MRSA biofilms, achieving up to 96% reduction in viable cells (Chen S et al., 2023). Piezoelectric polymer films, including PVDF, PHB, and PVDF-TrFE, have been shown to suppress Escherichia coli and MRSA growth under cyclic mechanical stress, benefiting from surface potential generation and enhanced microbial contact (Chen Z et al., 2023). BTO nanoparticles doped with other metals leverage defect engineering to amplify polarization, enabling robust ROS production under ultrasound and effective disruption of both planktonic bacteria and biofilms. Moreover, hybrid nanostructures, including PVDF, poly-L-lactide (PLLA), and PtRu/C3N5 integrated into hyaluronic acid microneedles, combine piezoelectric stimulation with oxidase-mimic nanozyme activity, achieving near-complete broad-spectrum bacterial killing, in vitro and in vivo, within minutes of ultrasonic activation (Bhaskar and Han, 2025; Vukomanović et al., 2023; Zheng et al., 2022).
Collectively, these strategies demonstrate the versatility of piezoelectric materials as dynamic antibacterial agents. By combining mechanical responsiveness with tailored material architectures, piezoelectric platforms offer targeted, non-invasive, and highly efficient approaches to combat AMR and MRSA, representing a significant step toward next-generation antimicrobial therapies.
3.2 Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
Piezoelectric materials are rapidly gaining attention in tissue engineering because of their inherent properties of electrical cues and ROS generation that actively guide cell behavior, support extracellular matrix formation, and promote tissue regeneration (Liu et al., 2021). Unlike conventional scaffolds, these materials respond to natural physiological movements, providing a dynamic and precise way to stimulate tissue regeneration (Liu et al., 2021).
In bone repairing, piezoelectric scaffolds made from BTO, potassium sodium niobate (KNN), and their doped derivatives have shown excellent ability to enhance bone formation (Wei et al., 2024). By embedding nanoscale piezoelectric domains into porous structures, mechanical forces and ultrasonic stimulation generate small electrical currents that encourage osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and mineral deposition. Some scaffolds also incorporate antibacterial features, reducing the risk of infection while supporting robust bone regeneration, an especially valuable trait for orthopedic implants (Jarkov et al., 2022; Shuai et al., 2020). Similarly, for neural tissue engineering, piezoelectric hydrogels, nanofibers, and composite conduits made from materials like PVDF, PLLA, and BTO nanoparticles mimic the natural movements of the body into electrical signals (Kapat et al., 2020; Zhang C et al., 2024). Stimulation from ultrasound or body movements can boost neurite outgrowth, guide axonal alignment, and fine-tune synaptic activity, accelerating recovery in peripheral nerve injuries. Some advanced designs even combine electrical stimulation with growth factor release and nanozyme activity, producing synergistic effects that further support nerve regeneration (Pinho, 2023).
In cardiovascular tissue repair, piezoelectric patches and nanocomposite scaffolds provide electrical cues that synchronize with the heartbeat. Materials such as PVDF-TrFE and BTO nanostructures generate potentials under cyclic strain, enhancing cardiomyocyte proliferation, alignment, contractility, and vascular network formation (Doustvandi et al., 2024). Multifunctional systems that integrate conductive polymers or growth factor-loaded nanoparticles offer additional support for repairing damaged myocardium after infarction (Ye et al., 2025). Moreover, Cinquino et al. highlight the potential of piezoelectric technology in cardiovascular care. Flexible, biocompatible piezoelectric sensors enable noninvasive, real-time monitoring of multiple cardiovascular parameters that demonstrate safety, multifunctionality, and promise for personalized diagnostics and therapeutic interventions in heart disease (Cinquino et al., 2025). Another recent study conveys those piezoelectric patches with the generation of electric charges upon deformation, enhancing the electrical recovery and reducing myocardial infarction. In both the mouse and pig models, the piezo patches are electrically safe and effective in preserving the myocardial integrity and preventing ventricular dilation. These promising piezo patches is a novel therapeutic approach for restoring cardiac electrical and structural function (Monteiro et al., 2025).
Chronic wounds remain a major clinical challenge due to persistent bacterial infection, impaired vascularization, and delayed tissue remodeling (Falanga et al., 2022). Piezoelectric materials offer unique opportunities for wound management by integrating antibacterial effects with regenerative stimulation, providing a dual approach that accelerates healing (Yue et al., 2025). It is essential to note that piezocatalytic activity continues to play a crucial role in wound healing (Ren et al., 2024). Moreover, piezoelectric materials accelerate wound healing through direct electrical stimulation. Endogenous bioelectric signals are known to regulate keratinocyte migration, fibroblast proliferation, and angiogenesis by different pathways (Ali et al., 2023a; X. Wang et al., 2025). These multifunctional systems enable real-time feedback and adaptive therapy without the need for external power sources (Ali et al., 2023b).
3.3 Piezodynamic cancer therapy
Piezoelectric materials are highly versatile tools in cancer treatment by coupling mechanical stimulation with catalytic and electrical effects to selectively damage tumor cells (Zheng H et al., 2024). In PZDT, ultrasound or natural body movements activate these materials to produce localized electric fields and ROS, which together disturb redox balance, create oxidative stress, and trigger programmed cell death in cancer cells, while largely sparing healthy tissue (Muhammad et al., 2025). Unlike conventional light-based therapies, PZDT is not limited by penetration depth, making it a promising strategy for treating tumors located deep within the body (Huang et al., 2025).
Their true potential becomes even more evident when piezoelectric systems are combined with other therapeutic approaches. For example, coupling them with chemodynamic therapy (CDT) enhances Fenton and Fenton-like reactions by improving charge separation and lowering the energy barrier for H2O2 decomposition (He et al., 2025). This results in a higher yield of ·OH, one of the most potent ROS for tumor destruction. Similarly, pairing piezoelectric platforms with photothermal therapy (PTT) allows heat-driven tumor ablation to work hand-in-hand with ROS-mediated apoptosis, producing a strong synergistic effect. Such combinations not only improve treatment precision but also reduce the required doses, lowering side effects and systemic toxicity (Y. Wang et al., 2023).
An exciting development in this field is the creation of Near Infrared-II (NIR-II) guided piezoelectric nanoplatforms. Where 1,000–1,600 nm light is used as the biological window for the deeper tissue analysis and piezo, photodynamic therapy, and different biomedical imaging. These advanced systems are designed to emit in the NIR-II window, which offers deeper tissue penetration, reduced scattering, and sharper resolution (Ullah et al., 2024c; Zhang Z et al., 2024). Along with MRI-guided PZDT, it also plays a pivotal role in the eradication of tumors (Shi et al., 2020). This makes it possible to visualize tumors with high accuracy while simultaneously activating therapy on demand. By merging imaging and treatment in one platform, these nanomaterials allow real-time monitoring of therapeutic outcomes and enable more precise, minimally invasive interventions (Xu H et al., 2024). Therefore, piezoelectric materials are shaping the future of cancer therapy by acting as self-responsive, synergistic, and image-guided systems. Their ability to combine catalytic activity, electrical cues, and advanced optical imaging points toward a new era of precision oncology and next-generation theranostic technologies.
3.4 Drug and gene delivery via piezoelectric stimulus
Piezoelectric materials are being increasingly recognized as smart carriers for drug and gene delivery, offering spatiotemporal control in response to ultrasound or mechanical forces with precise, localized effects (Wei et al., 2025). Acting as on-demand nano transducers, they convert external stimulation into electrical signals that reshape carrier surfaces, modulate charges, and trigger-controlled release of therapeutic agents exactly where they are needed (Giorgio et al., 2015). For example, in drug delivery, piezoelectric nanoparticles and nanofibers have been designed to release small molecules in either pulsatile bursts or sustained patterns, offering dosing precision directly at disease sites. Recently, nanofibers made from PVDF-TrFE have responded strongly to ultrasound, accelerating drug release and enabling deeper tissue penetration (F. Wang et al., 2025). By confining release to targeted regions, these systems reduce systemic side effects, a feature particularly advantageous in cancer therapy and inflammatory disorders. The applications extend beyond small-molecule drugs (Vijayakanth et al., 2023). Piezoelectric scaffolds and microneedle arrays are being tailored for nucleic acid and gene delivery. The localized electric fields they generate can gently open cell membranes, enhancing the uptake of plasmids, siRNA, and even CRISPR components without relying on invasive high-voltage methods (Tripathi and Dubey, 2024). This approach not only protects cells from damage but also improves transfection efficiency in tissues that are otherwise difficult to access. Moreover, coupling piezoelectric materials with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is further advancing the field (Will-Cole et al., 2022). Concepts such as piezoelectric micropumps for programmable injections or self-regulating microneedles for transdermal therapy present the potential of hybrid systems that unite sensing, feedback, and controlled release into a single platform (Prausnitz, 2004).
In conclusion, these innovations establish piezoelectric carriers as versatile tools for precision medicine. By acting as active participants in therapy, piezoelectric carriers transform drug and gene delivery from passive systems into mechano-responsive platforms that integrate with biomedical devices, adapt to patient needs, and redefine precision in modern nanomedicine.
3.5 Piezoelectric biosensing and bioelectronics
By directly translating the subtle motions and biochemical signals of the body into measurable electrical outputs, piezoelectric materials enable continuous, self-sustaining monitoring of physiological activity without relying on external power sources (Zhuang et al., 2025). This capability underpins wearable and implantable devices that track vital signs, tissue mechanics, and biochemical markers in real time, providing a foundation for personalized healthcare and early disease detection (Wu et al., 2025). Wearable piezoelectric sensors employ flexible, stretchable, and biocompatible materials, often designed with kirigami patterns, buckled structures, and serpentine meshes to maintain conformal contact with skin. These systems capture mechanical cues such as heartbeat, respiration, gait, or muscle movement, and chemical cues like sweat metabolites, translating them into electrical signals (Wu et al., 2025). Heart rate variability, pulse waveforms, and breathing patterns can indicate cardiovascular or pulmonary conditions, while continuous monitoring of glucose and other analytes in sweat informs metabolic health. The ability to detect multiple physiological patterns simultaneously allows piezoelectric sensors to construct real-time disease models, enabling predictive health analytics and personalized interventions (Mondal B et al., 2025).
A low-cost, Biocompatible, and non-invasive piezoelectric sensor has been developed for real-time cardiovascular monitoring. The sensor uses a thin ammonium nitride film upon the Kapton for analyzing the heart rate, blood pressure wave, and pulse wave velocity (Cinquino et al., 2025). Furthermore, implantable piezoelectric systems extend these capabilities to internal organs and therapeutic devices. Biodegradable force sensors, piezoelectric patches, and microneedle arrays can monitor internal pressures, provide localized electrical stimulation, and regulate pacemaker activity (Mondal B et al., 2025; Nguyen et al., 2019). These acoustically powered implants can function deep within tissues, while integrated closed-loop feedback enables responsive therapy based on the detected physiological patterns, such as modulating cardiac pacing and drug release. Therefore, by harnessing subtle mechanical and chemical cues from the body, piezoelectric biosensors bridge sensing, monitoring, and therapeutic response (Cheng et al., 2025). Thus, these biosensors go beyond simply converting body movements and biochemical signals into electrical outputs and can detect subtle patterns that indicate early signs of disease (Zhang et al., 2025). By seamlessly integrating continuous monitoring, real-time analysis, and responsive feedback, these devices transform everyday physiological data into meaningful health insights, enabling proactive, personalized care and smarter management of wellbeing.
4 Current challenges and outlook
Despite their transformative potential, piezoelectric materials face practical and biological challenges that hinder clinical adoption. A major concern is their stability in aqueous and physiological environments. Many nanostructured ceramics and composites are poorly soluble, prone to aggregation, or susceptible to surface erosion, which reduces bioavailability, polarization, and piezocatalytic efficiency. Such instability compromises applications in wound healing, drug delivery, and implantable devices, where prolonged activity is critical. Mechanical and enzymatic stresses further accelerate degradation, limiting durability under the dynamic conditions of the body. Scalability and cost also remain formidable barriers. High-quality piezoelectric nanocrystals, doped ceramics, and thin films require multistep syntheses, precise doping, and complex post-processing, driving up costs and complicating large-scale fabrication. This restricts their use in resource-intensive applications such as chronic wound dressings or implantable bioelectronics.
Recent advancements in biodegradable piezoelectric materials have created new possibilities for transient biomedical devices that can operate efficiently within living organisms and later decompose without causing harm. Such materials address the long-term biocompatibility and removal concerns. Although their integration in the biological system is very challenging and their degradation kinetics raise concerns about maintaining their piezoelectric property during the operational period. Future research should concentrate on optimizing material composition and microstructure. Notably, Liu et al. and Vannozzi et al. offer important new information on fabrication techniques and material design methods for the next-generation of biodegradable piezoelectric systems (Liu et al., 2023; Vannozzi et al., 2025).
Another underexplored challenge is long-term safety. While short-term cytotoxicity is often low, chronic exposure to degradation products or residual nanoparticles could induce inflammation, oxidative stress, or immune responses. The potential accumulation of non-degradable fragments raises additional regulatory concerns.
Future progress requires materials that integrate stability, scalability, and biocompatibility. Promising strategies include hydrophilic surface modifications, biodegradable polymer-ceramic hybrids, and organic piezoelectric systems with sustained electromechanical activity. Alongside materials innovation, bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo performance is critical, as many candidates fail under real biological stresses.
Looking ahead, the convergence of piezoelectric platforms with digital health and artificial intelligence offers powerful opportunities. Wearable and implantable piezoelectric biosensors can continuously monitor physiological signals and feed real-time data into AI-driven diagnostic systems. Such adaptive, scalable, and biocompatible piezoelectric technologies could accelerate translation from laboratory success to clinical reality, reshaping next-generation biomedical applications.
5 Conclusion
Piezoelectric materials are emerging as multifunctional platforms that couple mechanical, chemical, and electrical cues to orchestrate complex biological processes. This mini review emphasized their role in antibacterial therapy, wound healing, tissue regeneration, and cancer treatment through piezodynamic effects and synergistic mechanisms. By integrating drug delivery, biosensing, and adaptive therapeutics, they open avenues for minimally invasive and personalized care. In a nutshell, this mini review frames piezoelectric systems as a convergent biomedical paradigm, crosslinking fundamental science with translational applications to advance precision medicine and adaptive healthcare solutions.
Statements
Author contributions
JR: Investigation, Conceptualization, Writing – original draft. MM: Conceptualization, Investigation, Writing – original draft. AS: Formal Analysis, Writing – review and editing. RB: Supervision, Writing – review and editing. SD: Writing – review and editing, Supervision.
Funding
The authors declare that no financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank other members of the SD Lab for their assistance and suggestions.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Generative AI statement
The authors declare that no Generative AI was used in the creation of this manuscript.
Any alternative text (alt text) provided alongside figures in this article has been generated by Frontiers with the support of artificial intelligence and reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, including review by the authors wherever possible. If you identify any issues, please contact us.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
References
1
Ali M. Bathaei M. J. Istif E. Karimi S. N. H. Beker L. (2023a). Biodegradable piezoelectric polymers: recent advancements in materials and applications. Adv. Healthc. Mater.12 (23), 2300318. 10.1002/adhm.202300318
2
Ali M. Hoseyni S. M. Das R. Awais M. Basdogan I. Beker L. (2023b). A flexible and biodegradable piezoelectric‐based wearable sensor for non‐invasive monitoring of dynamic human motions and physiological signals. Adv. Mater. Technol.8 (15), 2300347. 10.1002/admt.202300347
3
Aranda-Rivera A. K. Cruz-Gregorio A. Arancibia-Hernández Y. L. Hernández-Cruz E. Y. Pedraza-Chaverri J. (2022). RONS and oxidative stress: an overview of basic concepts. Oxygen2 (4), 437–478. 10.3390/oxygen2040030
4
Bhaskar R. Han S. S. (2025). “6 piezoelectric materials,” in Piezoelectric as smart biomaterials for cardiovascular tissue regeneration, 109.
5
Chen C C. Roy S. Wang J. Lu X. Li S. Yang H. et al (2023). Piezodynamic eradication of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria by using a nanoparticle embedded polymeric membrane. Pharmaceutics15 (8), 2155. 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082155
6
Chen C. Wang X. Wang Y. Yang D. Yao F. Zhang W. et al (2020). Additive manufacturing of piezoelectric materials. Adv. Funct. Mater.30 (52), 2005141. 10.1002/adfm.202005141
7
Chen S S. Zhu P. Mao L. Wu W. Lin H. Xu D. et al (2023). Piezocatalytic medicine: an emerging frontier using piezoelectric materials for biomedical applications. Adv. Mater.35 (25), 2208256. 10.1002/adma.202208256
8
Chen Z Z. Yang L. Yang Z. Wang Z. He W. Zhang W. (2023). Disordered convolution region of P (VDF-TrFE) piezoelectric nanoparticles: the core of sono–piezo dynamic therapy. ACS Appl. Mater. and Interfaces15 (46), 53251–53263. 10.1021/acsami.3c12614
9
Cheng Y. Wang T. Zhu H. Hu X. Mi J. Li L. et al (2025). Molecular engineering of amino acid crystals with enhanced piezoelectric performance for biodegradable sensors. Angew. Chem.137 (15), e202500334. 10.1002/anie.202500334
10
Chorsi M. T. Curry E. J. Chorsi H. T. Das R. Baroody J. Purohit P. K. et al (2019). Piezoelectric biomaterials for sensors and actuators. Adv. Mater.31 (1), 1802084. 10.1002/adma.201802084
11
Cinquino M. Demir S. M. Shumba A. T. Schioppa E. J. Fachechi L. Rizzi F. et al (2025). Enhancing cardiovascular health monitoring: simultaneous multi-artery cardiac markers recording with flexible and bio-compatible AlN piezoelectric sensors. Biosens. Bioelectron.267, 116790. 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116790
12
Cui K. Li T. Ma Y. Zhang C. Zhang K. Qi C. et al (2025). Ultrasound-responsive drug delivery system based on piezoelectric catalytic mechanisms. J. Funct. Biomaterials16 (8), 304. 10.3390/jfb16080304
13
Dai B. Xie C. Zhang S. Li X. He A. Mou Y. et al (2025). Synergistic photodynamic and piezocatalytic therapies for enhanced infected wound healing via piezo‐phototronic effect. Adv. Funct. Mater.35, 2505084. 10.1002/adfm.202505084
14
Deng W. Zhou Y. Libanori A. Chen G. Yang W. Chen J. (2022). Piezoelectric nanogenerators for personalized healthcare. Chem. Soc. Rev.51 (9), 3380–3435. 10.1039/d1cs00858g
15
Dolai J. Sarkar A. R. Das S. Jana N. R. (2023a). Colloidal, functional, piezoelectric BaTiO3‐Au nanohybrid for wireless cell therapy. Part. and Part. Syst. Charact.40 (12), 2300065. 10.1002/ppsc.202300065
16
Dolai J. Sarkar A. R. Maity A. Mukherjee B. Jana N. R. (2023b). Ultrasonic electroporation for cells grown on piezoelectric film composed of hydroxyapatite nanowire and PVDF. ACS Appl. Mater. and Interfaces15 (51), 59155–59164. 10.1021/acsami.3c13005
17
Doustvandi B. Imani R. Yousefzadeh M. (2024). Study of electrospun PVDF/GO nanofibers as a conductive piezoelectric heart patch for potential support of myocardial regeneration. Macromol. Mater. Eng.309 (1), 2300243. 10.1002/mame.202300243
18
Falanga V. Isseroff R. R. Soulika A. M. Romanelli M. Margolis D. Kapp S. et al (2022). Chronic wounds. Nat. Rev. Dis. Prim.8 (1), 50. 10.1038/s41572-022-00377-3
19
Gao Z. Lei Y. Li Z. Yang J. Yu B. Yuan X. et al (2025). Artificial piezoelectric metamaterials. Prog. Mater. Sci.151, 101434. 10.1016/j.pmatsci.2025.101434
20
Giorgio I. Galantucci L. Della Corte A. Del Vescovo D. (2015). Piezo-electromechanical smart materials with distributed arrays of piezoelectric transducers: current and upcoming applications. Int. J. Appl. Electromagn. Mech.47 (4), 1051–1084. 10.3233/jae-140148
21
He C. Feng P. Hao M. Tang Y. Wu X. Cui W. et al (2024). Nanomaterials in antibacterial photodynamic therapy and antibacterial sonodynamic therapy. Adv. Funct. Mater.34 (38), 2402588. 10.1002/adfm.202402588
22
He S. He W. Shi H. Yu S. Chen Y. Chen L. et al (2025). Sono-piezodynamic therapy for drug-resistant bacteria infection. Cell Rep. Phys. Sci.6 (3), 102451. 10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102451
23
Huang H. Miao Y. Li Y. (2025). Recent advances of piezoelectric materials used in sonodynamic therapy of tumor. Coord. Chem. Rev.523, 216282. 10.1016/j.ccr.2024.216282
24
Jarkov V. Allan S. J. Bowen C. Khanbareh H. (2022). Piezoelectric materials and systems for tissue engineering and implantable energy harvesting devices for biomedical applications. Int. Mater. Rev.67 (7), 683–733. 10.1080/09506608.2021.1988194
25
Jin C. C. Liu D. M. Zhang L. X. (2023). An emerging family of piezocatalysts: 2D piezoelectric materials. Small19 (44), 2303586. 10.1002/smll.202303586
26
Kapat K. Shubhra Q. T. Zhou M. Leeuwenburgh S. (2020). Piezoelectric nano‐biomaterials for biomedicine and tissue regeneration. Adv. Funct. Mater.30 (44), 1909045. 10.1002/adfm.201909045
27
Khlyustova A. Labay C. Machala Z. Ginebra M.-P. Canal C. (2019). Important parameters in plasma jets for the production of RONS in liquids for plasma medicine: a brief review. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng.13 (2), 238–252. 10.1007/s11705-019-1801-8
28
Konchekov E. M. Glinushkin A. P. Kalinitchenko V. P. Artem’ev K. V. Burmistrov D. E. Kozlov V. A. et al (2021). Properties and use of water activated by plasma of piezoelectric direct discharge. Front. Phys.8, 616385. 10.3389/fphy.2020.616385
29
Li L. Yu Y. Ye G. J. Ge Q. Ou X. Wu H. et al (2014). Black phosphorus field-effect transistors. Nat. Nanotechnol.9 (5), 372–377. 10.1038/nnano.2014.35
30
Lipatov A. Sharma P. Gruverman A. Sinitskii A. (2015). Optoelectrical molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)—Ferroflectric Memormes. ACS Nano9 (8), 8089–8098. 10.1021/acsnano.5b02078
31
Liu Z. Wan X. Wang Z. L. Li L. (2021). Electroactive biomaterials and systems for cell fate determination and tissue regeneration: design and applications. Adv. Mater.33 (32), 2007429. 10.1002/adma.202007429
32
Liu J. Qi W. Xu M. Thomas T. Liu S. Yang M. (2023). Piezocatalytic techniques in environmental remediation. Angew. Chem.135 (5), e202213927. 10.1002/anie.202213927
33
Lv S. Qiu Z. Yu D. Wu X. Yan X. Ren Y. et al (2023). Custom‐made piezoelectric solid solution material for cancer therapy. Small19 (32), 2300976. 10.1002/smll.202300976
34
Ma Q. Ren G. Xu K. Ou J. Z. (2021). Tunable optical properties of 2D materials and their applications. Adv. Opt. Mater.9 (2), 2001313. 10.1002/adom.202001313
35
Mao J. Zheng H. Zeng Q. Zhang X. Shen T. Zhang Y. et al (2025). Bioactive glass doped KNN ceramics with synergistic piezoelectric and bioactive functions for enhanced bone repair. J. Alloys Compd.1039, 183337. 10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.183337
36
Mondal B B. Arora M. Panwar V. Ghosh D. Mandal D. (2025). Piezoelectret textile dressing for biosignal monitored wound healing. Small21 (25), 2503130. 10.1002/smll.202503130
37
Mondal D D. Roy S. Sau A. Roy J. Bag N. Ullah Z. et al (2025). Chitosan cloaked MWCNT-Kaolinite bio-nanocomposite for energy generation and ultrasound driven ROS induced degradation of organic dyes and pathogen. Ceram. Int.51, 45744–45754. 10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.07.289
38
Monteiro L. M. Gouveia P. J. Vasques-Nóvoa F. Rosa S. Bardi I. Gomes R. N. et al (2025). Nanoscale piezoelectric patches preserve electrical integrity of infarcted hearts. Mater. Today Bio32, 101742. 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101742
39
Muhammad S. Maridevaru M. C. Roy S. Chen D. Zeng W. Sun L. et al (2025). Piezodynamic therapy: unleashing mechanical energy and featuristic next generation therapeutic paradigms for glioblastoma. ACS Nano19 (37), 33008–33058. 10.1021/acsnano.5c11629
40
Nguyen T. D. Curry E. J. (2019). Biodegradable piezoelectric force sensor. Micro-and nanotechnology sensors, systems, and applications XI.
41
Ozougwu J. C. (2016). The role of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in oxidative stress. Int. J. Res.1 (8), 1–8.
42
Pang F. Zhao P. Lee H. Y. Kim D. J. Meng X. Cho Y. S. et al (2025). Progress and perspectives in 2D piezoelectric materials for piezotronics and piezo‐phototronics. Adv. Sci.12, 2411422. 10.1002/advs.202411422
43
Pinho T. S. (2023). Secretome-loaded piezoelectric hydrogels as advanced biomaterials to modulate neuronal and glial activity universidade do minho (portugal).
44
Prausnitz M. R. (2004). Microneedles for transdermal drug delivery. Adv. drug Deliv. Rev.56 (5), 581–587. 10.1016/j.addr.2003.10.023
45
Ren J. Wang X. Bao T. Shen X. Yin D. Liang Q. et al (2024). Piezoelectric dual network dressing with adaptive electrical stimulation for diabetic infected wound repair via antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and angiogenesis. Chem. Eng. J.491, 151801. 10.1016/j.cej.2024.151801
46
Roy J. Mondal D. Chowdhury J. R. Bag N. Ghosh S. Roy S. et al (2024). Enhanced piezocatalytic activity of BiFeO3 incorporated PVDF-HFP membrane for efficient degradation of carcinogenic industrial pollutant. Ceram. Int.50 (10), 18012–18023. 10.1016/j.ceramint.2024.02.290
47
Roy S. Fan Z. Ullah Z. Madni M. Shyamal S. Roy J. et al (2025a). Ultrasound-powered piezoelectric hydrogel enables dual Piezodynamic-Chemodynamic therapy and immunomodulation against bacteria-infected burn wounds. Nano Energy, 146, 111535. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2025.111535
48
Roy S. Wang S. Ullah Z. Hao H. Xu R. Roy J. et al (2025b). Defect‐engineered biomimetic piezoelectric nanocomposites with enhanced ROS production, macrophage re‐polarization, and Ca2+ channel activation for therapy of MRSA‐Infected wounds and osteomyelitis. Small21 (10), 2411906. 10.1002/smll.202411906
49
Shi Y. Li N. Tremblay C. C. Martel S. (2020). A piezoelectric robotic system for MRI targeting assessments of therapeutics during dipole field navigation. IEEE/ASME Trans. Mechatronics26 (1), 214–225. 10.1109/tmech.2020.3009829
50
Shuai C. Liu G. Yang Y. Yang W. He C. Wang G. et al (2020). Functionalized BaTiO3 enhances piezoelectric effect towards cell response of bone scaffold. Colloids Surfaces B Biointerfaces185, 110587. 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2019.110587
51
Soe S. K. Ullah Z. Roy S. Madni M. Yan Y. Chen D. et al (2025). A new insight into balancing reactive oxygen species in piezodynamic therapy. Adv. Funct. Mater., e13106. 10.1002/adfm.202513106
52
Su L. Fong C.-C. Cheung P.-Y. Yang M. (2017). “Development of novel piezoelectric biosensor using pzt ceramic resonator for detection of cancer markers,” in Biosensors and biodetection: methods and protocols, volume 2: electrochemical, bioelectronic, piezoelectric, cellular and molecular biosensors (Springer), 277–291.
53
Tripathi P. Dubey A. K. (2024). Role of piezoelectricity in disease diagnosis and treatment: a review. ACS Biomaterials Sci. and Eng.10 (10), 6061–6077. 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c01346
54
Tu S. Guo Y. Zhang Y. Hu C. Zhang T. Ma T. et al (2020). Piezocatalysis and piezo‐photocatalysis: catalysts classification and modification strategy, reaction mechanism, and practical application. Adv. Funct. Mater.30 (48), 2005158. 10.1002/adfm.202005158
55
Ullah Z. Abbas Y. Gu J. Ko Soe S. Roy S. Peng T. et al (2024a). Chemodynamic therapy of glioblastoma multiforme and perspectives. Pharmaceutics16 (7), 942. 10.3390/pharmaceutics16070942
56
Ullah Z. Roy S. Gu J. Ko Soe S. Jin J. Guo B. (2024b). NIR-II fluorescent probes for fluorescence-imaging-guided tumor surgery. Biosensors14 (6), 282. 10.3390/bios14060282
57
Ullah Z. Roy S. Hasan I. Madni M. Gong T. Roy J. et al (2025c). NIR-II fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging-guided efficient piezodynamic therapy of subcutaneous glioblastoma with a biomimetic nanoplatform containing defect-engineered piezoelectric shell and downconversion nanocore. Small, n/a(n/a), e10697. 10.1002/smll.202510697
58
Vannozzi L. Pucci C. Trucco D. Turini C. Sevim S. Pané S. et al (2025). Biodegradable piezoelectric micro‐And nanomaterials for regenerative medicine, targeted therapy, and microrobotics. Small Sci.5 (4), 2400439. 10.1002/smsc.202400439
59
Vijayakanth T. Shankar S. Finkelstein-Zuta G. Rencus-Lazar S. Gilead S. Gazit E. (2023). Perspectives on recent advancements in energy harvesting, sensing and bio-medical applications of piezoelectric gels. Chem. Soc. Rev.52 (17), 6191–6220. 10.1039/d3cs00202k
60
Vukomanović M. Gazvoda L. Kurtjak M. Maček‐Kržmanc M. Spreitzer M. Tang Q. et al (2023). Filler‐enhanced piezoelectricity of poly‐l‐lactide and its use as a functional ultrasound‐activated biomaterial. Small19 (35), 2301981. 10.1002/smll.202301981
61
Wang K. Han C. Li J. Qiu J. Sunarso J. Liu S. (2022). The mechanism of piezocatalysis: energy band theory or screening charge effect?Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.61 (6), e202110429. 10.1002/anie.202110429
62
Wang L. Zhang S. Zhang Y. An Q. (2023). Piezodynamic therapy: mechanisms and biomedical applications. Nano Energy110, 108342. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2023.108342
63
Wang Y. Zang P. Yang D. Zhang R. Gai S. Yang P. (2023). The fundamentals and applications of piezoelectric materials for tumor therapy: recent advances and outlook. Mater. Horizons10 (4), 1140–1184. 10.1039/d2mh01221a
64
Wang F. Zhu X. Du X. (2025). Intelligent poly (vinylidene fluoride)-based materials for biomedical applications. Adv. Funct. Mater.35, 2500685. 10.1002/adfm.202500685
65
Wang X. Stefanello S. T. Shahin V. Qian Y. (2025). From mechanoelectric conversion to tissue regeneration: translational progress in piezoelectric materials. Adv. Mater.37, 2417564. 10.1002/adma.202417564
66
Wei J. Xia J. Liu X. Ran P. Zhang G. Wang C. et al (2023). Hollow-structured BaTiO3 nanoparticles with cerium-regulated defect engineering to promote piezocatalytic antibacterial treatment. Appl. Catal. B Environ.328, 122520. 10.1016/j.apcatb.2023.122520
67
Wei Y. Liang Y. Qi K. Gu Z. Yan B. Xie H. (2024). Exploring the application of piezoelectric ceramics in bone regeneration. J. Biomaterials Appl.39 (5), 409–420. 10.1177/08853282241274528
68
Wei X. Wang Y. Hu H. Sheng T. Yao Y. Chen C. et al (2025). Wirelessly controlled drug delivery systems for translational medicine. Nat. Rev. Electr. Eng.2, 244–262. 10.1038/s44287-025-00151-z
69
Will-Cole A. Hassanien A. E. Calisgan S. D. Jeong M.-G. Liang X. Kang S. et al (2022). Tutorial: piezoelectric and magnetoelectric N/MEMS—Materials, devices, and applications. J. Appl. Phys.131 (24), 241101. 10.1063/5.0094364
70
Wu Y. Liu Z. Fan Y. (2025). Biomedical applications of bioresorbable mechanical sensors. Adv. Funct. Mater., e13422. 10.1002/adfm.202513422
71
Xu H H. Kim D. Zhao Y. Y. Kim C. Song G. Hu Q. et al (2024). Remote control of energy transformation‐based cancer imaging and therapy. Adv. Mater.36 (27), 2402806. 10.1002/adma.202402806
72
Xu W W. Jing B. Li Q. Cao J. Zhou J. Li J. et al (2024). Bubble induced piezoelectric activation of peroxymonosulfate on BiOCl for formaldehyde degradation during the absorption process: a density functional theory study. J. Mater. Chem. A12 (16), 9723–9729. 10.1039/d4ta00332b
73
Yang M.-M. Luo Z.-D. Mi Z. Zhao J. E S. P. Alexe M. (2020). Piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects induced by interface polar symmetry. Nature584 (7821), 377–381. 10.1038/s41586-020-2602-4
74
Ye T. Li Y. Li X. Feng S. Wang Y. Chi S. et al (2025). A piezoelectric and suture‐free cardiac patch assembled by all FDA‐approved materials achieves a minimally invasive gene therapy. Adv. Funct. Mater.35, 2425399. 10.1002/adfm.202425399
75
Yu C. Dong Y. Zhu X. Feng L. Zang P. Liu B. et al (2024a). Oxygen vacancy piezoelectric nanosheets constructed by a photoetching strategy for ultrasound “unlocked” tumor synergistic therapy. Nano Lett.24 (26), 8008–8016. 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01656
76
Yu C. Li J. Zang P. Feng L. Tian B. Zhao R. et al (2024b). A functional “key” amplified piezoelectric effect modulates ROS storm with an open source for multimodal synergistic cancer therapy. Small20 (36), 2401931. 10.1002/smll.202401931
77
Yuan X. Shi J. Kang Y. Dong J. Pei Z. Ji X. (2024). Piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity, and ferroelectricity in biomaterials and biomedical applications. Adv. Mater.36 (3), 2308726. 10.1002/adma.202308726
78
Yue Y. Xu R. Li N. (2025). Integrating piezoelectric dressings with botanicals as emerging smart dressings for diabetic wound healing. Nanoscale17, 20044–20056. 10.1039/d5nr01797a
79
Zhang C C. Kwon S. H. Dong L. (2024). Piezoelectric hydrogels: hybrid material design, properties, and biomedical applications. Small20 (28), 2310110. 10.1002/smll.202310110
80
Zhang H. Lan D. Wu B. Chen X. Li X. Li Z. et al (2023). Electrospun piezoelectric scaffold with external mechanical stimulation for promoting regeneration of peripheral nerve injury. Biomacromolecules24 (7), 3268–3282. 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00311
81
Zhang J. Li R. Dong L. Ke Y. Liu C. Pei M. et al (2025). Ultrasensitive biodegradable piezoelectric sensors with localized stress concentration strategy for real-time physiological monitoring. Chem. Eng. J.507, 160521. 10.1016/j.cej.2025.160521
82
Zhang Z Z. Du Y. Shi X. Wang K. Qu Q. Liang Q. et al (2024). NIR-II light in clinical oncology: opportunities and challenges. Nat. Rev. Clin. Oncol.21 (6), 449–467. 10.1038/s41571-024-00892-0
83
Zhao Y. Wang S. Ding Y. Zhang Z. Huang T. Zhang Y. et al (2022). Piezotronic effect-augmented Cu2–xO–BaTiO3 sonosensitizers for multifunctional cancer dynamic therapy. ACS Nano16 (6), 9304–9316. 10.1021/acsnano.2c01968
84
Zheng T. Yu Y. Pang Y. Zhang D. Wang Y. Zhao H. et al (2022). Improving bone regeneration with composites consisting of piezoelectric poly (l-lactide) and piezoelectric calcium/manganese co-doped barium titanate nanofibers. Compos. Part B Eng.234, 109734. 10.1016/j.compositesb.2022.109734
85
Zheng H H. Lin H. Tian H. Lin K. Yang F. Zhang X. et al (2024). Steering piezocatalytic therapy for optimized tumoricidal effect. Adv. Funct. Mater.34 (33), 2400174. 10.1002/adfm.202400174
86
Zhu P. Chen Y. Shi J. (2020). Piezocatalytic tumor therapy by ultrasound‐triggered and BaTiO3‐mediated piezoelectricity. Adv. Mater.32 (29), 2001976. 10.1002/adma.202001976
87
Zhu M. Liu Q. Wong W. Y. Xu L. (2025). Advancements in carbon‐based piezoelectric materials: mechanism, classification, and applications in energy science. Adv. Mater., 2419970. 10.1002/adma.202419970
88
Zhuang Y. Zhang Q. Wan Z. Geng H. Xue Z. Cao H. (2025). Self-powered biomedical devices: biology, materials, and their interfaces. Prog. Biomed. Eng.7 (2), 022003. 10.1088/2516-1091/adaff2
Summary
Keywords
piezoelectric materials, reactive oxygen species (ROS), biomedical applications, piezodynamic therapy, tissue regeneration, self-powered biosensors
Citation
Roy J, Madni M, Sau A, Basu R and Das S (2025) Advances and crosslinking of the piezoelectric nanoplatform: exploring the multifunctionality in different biomedical applications. Front. Chem. 13:1714203. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2025.1714203
Received
27 September 2025
Revised
29 October 2025
Accepted
31 October 2025
Published
25 November 2025
Volume
13 - 2025
Edited by
Indrani Coondoo, University of Aveiro, Portugal
Reviewed by
Bernardo Almeida, University of Minho, Portugal
Updates
Copyright
© 2025 Roy, Madni, Sau, Basu and Das.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Sukhen Das, sdasphysics@gmail.com; Ruma Basu, ruma.b1959@gmail.com
†These authors have contributed equally to this work
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.