CeNS, IISER and JNCASR Develop Peptide-Based Piezoelectric Biomaterial

Researchers at CeNS Bengaluru, IISER Kolkata, and JNCASR Bengaluru develop a peptide-based piezoelectric biomaterial with potential biomedical applications. The reported findings link changes in molecular arrangement of the same peptide to distinct piezoelectric functionality and list nanoscale characterisation techniques used.

Peptide-Based Piezoelectric Biomaterial:

Dimension	Key Details
Piezoelectricity	Piezoelectricity is the phenomenon where mechanical stress generates electric charge in certain solids such as ceramics, crystals, and biological materials, including DNA, bone, and proteins.
Core finding	While the chemical composition stays the same, differences in molecular arrangement change the material’s functionality.
Key observation: water dissolution	When dissolved in water, peptide molecules form nanofibers and show no detectable piezoelectric response.
Key observation: co-solvent effect	With about 1% co-solvent, peptide molecules reorganise into a supramolecular structure that displays a strong piezoelectric response.
Self-assembly	Peptide molecules form ordered supramolecular structures on their own, and the same peptide, assembled differently, exhibits distinct electrical properties.
Techniques used	Researchers employ nanoscale characterisation techniques: Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and computational simulations.
AFM	Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) examines surface and topographical features at the nanoscale.
FESEM	Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) provides high-resolution imaging of nanostructures.
Computational simulations	Computational simulations help elucidate molecular organisation and interactions.
Potential uses	Potential uses comprise implantable medical sensors, biosensors, electronic skin, wearable health-monitoring devices, and energy harvesting.
Mechanism	Natural body movements, such as heartbeat, breathing, and walking, cause mechanical deformation, and peptide piezoelectric materials convert this deformation into electrical energy.