Nowadays, the use of implantable medical electronic devices is increasing, and their power supply mainly depends on commercial rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries. Once such power supplies reach the end of their service life, patients have to undergo a second operation to remove them from the body. Scientists have developed pure natural bio-absorbable friction nano-generators that can both biodegrade and convert bio-mechanical energy into electrical energy. Related research results are published in the latest issue of Advanced Materials.
Implantable Friction Nanogenerator (iTENG) is an implantable energy conversion device that can be used to collect and convert different forms of biomechanical energy into electrical energy. This biomechanical energy can be derived from heartbeat, breathing. , limb movement and pulse beat, etc. A large number of experiments have proved that iTENG converted electrical energy can be successfully used for cardiac pacing, health monitoring and cell tissue engineering. Recently, Wang Zhonglin, chief scientist of Beijing Institute of Nano Energy and Systems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, researcher Li Zhou and Under the guidance of Fan Yubo, a professor at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Dr. Jiang Wen, Ph.D. students Li Hu and Liu Zhuo developed five kinds of naturally degradable materials (cellulose, chitin, silk fibroin, rice paper, egg white). Different types of pure natural bioabsorbable friction nanogenerators (BN-TENGs).
BN-TENGs has good biocompatibility, biodegradability and bioabsorbability. It also has high biomechanical energy conversion efficiency, can work normally in vivo and in vitro, and effectively convert biomechanical energy into electrical energy. This work achieved controlled degradation of BN-TENGs in vivo and in vitro.
The researchers also developed BN-TENGs as a voltage source for dysfunctional cardiomyocytes, successfully regulating the rate of beating of cardiomyocytes. When BN-TENGs completes the scheduled task, it can be implanted into SD rats. Rats degrade and absorb. The newly developed BN-TENGs has great potential as a power-driven implantable medical electronic device. After completing its established tasks, it can be degraded and absorbed by the organism itself, avoiding the patient's secondary surgery.
