Highly piezoelectric biocompatible and soft composite fibers

We report the fabrication of highly piezoelectric biocompatible soft fibers containing barium titanate ferroelectric ceramic particles dispersed in electrospun poly lactic acid (PLA). These fibers form mats that have two orders of magnitude larger piezoelectric constant per weight than single crystal barium titanate films. We propose that the observed apparent piezoelectricity results from the electrospinning induced polar alignment of the ferroelectric particles that pole the fibers similar to ferroelectret polymer foams that are poled by corona discharge. Due to the biocompatibility of PLA that encases the ferroelectric particles, these mats can be used in biological applications such as bio-sensors, artificial muscles, and energy harvesting devices. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3683482]