Structurally Reinforced Silk Fibroin/MXene Flexible Biocomposite Films for Robust Underwater Self-Powered Electronic...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Biodegradable piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) are crucial for sustainable self-powered bioelectronics.
• Silk fibroin (SF) is a biocompatible material but has limited piezoelectric output.
• Developing high-performance, eco-friendly energy-harvesting materials is essential for implantable and wearable technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a structurally reinforced silk fibroin (SRSF) biocomposite film.
• To enhance the piezoelectric performance and durability of SF for PENG applications.
• To evaluate the biodegradation and environmental stability of the new material.

Main Methods:

• Incorporating MXene multilayers into a silk fibroin matrix.
• Utilizing alcohol treatments to induce β-sheet crystallinity and dipole orientation.
• Fabricating and testing the SRSF-based PENG device, including recycling, biodegradation, and environmental stability tests.

Main Results:

• The SRSF-PENG device achieved a maximum output voltage of 14.8 V, current of 0.88 μA, and power density of 80.4 μW cm^-3.
• The regenerated device retained 87.8% of its original performance after recycling.
• Rapid biodegradation (>4.2% week^-1) and stable performance in high humidity and underwater conditions were observed.

Conclusions:

• Structurally reinforced silk fibroin (SRSF) biocomposite films offer a sustainable and high-efficiency material platform.
• The developed SRSF material is suitable for next-generation, self-powered bioelectronic systems.
• The material demonstrates excellent piezoelectric performance, reproducibility, biodegradation, and environmental stability.