Piezoelectric nanocomposite patch for self-powered bioelectrical stimulation for cardiac tissue engineering.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Cardiovascular Engineering

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases cause significant global mortality.
• Myocardial infarction leads to irreversible heart muscle loss with limited regenerative therapies.
• Developing effective cardiac tissue engineering (CTE) strategies is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a self-responsive piezoelectric elastomeric patch for CTE.
• To create a mechanically robust and electrically active scaffold.
• To enhance early cell attachment and reduce oxidative stress.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite patches with dual nanofillers (TiC and MoS₂).
• Coating with electrospun polylactic acid (PLA)/PDMS nanofibers as a biointerface.
• Characterization of material properties (SEM, FTIR, XRD, XPS, mechanical, thermal).
• Assessment of electromechanical performance under cyclic compression.
• Evaluation of biological performance using NIH3T3 fibroblasts and H9c2 cardiomyoblasts.

Main Results:

• The hybrid patch demonstrated balanced mechanical reinforcement and voltage generation (±20-30 mV).
• All formulations were cytocompatible.
• The hybrid patch reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to single-filler composites.
• The nanofiber interface improved cell adhesion and spreading.

Conclusions:

• A mechanically robust, electrically responsive, and cytocompatible PDMS-based hybrid scaffold was developed.
• The degradable fibrous bio-interface supports cell attachment and function.
• This work provides a foundation for self-powered, mechanically interactive cardiac patch platforms.