Processing of Piezoelectric Silk Films and Examination of Stability of Piezoelectric Effect.
Martinick, Kathleen.
2012
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Abstract: Finding biocompatible and biodegradable substrates for biomedical
engineering applications continues to be a major focus today. Bombyx mori silk has received
attention as a useful biopolymer for its remarkable mechanical properties, biocompatibility
and the high level of control over degradation rates; moreover, the degradation products
are amino acids the body can reuse. It has been... read morefound that native silk fibers display
piezoelectricity rivaling that of quartz, and more recently the piezoelectric effect has
been recreated in regenerated silk fibroin films. A zone drawing technique has been used to
induce β- sheet alignment as well as increase β-sheet content, key
components to piezoelectric silk films. A modified dynamic mechanical analyzer was used to
measure current and voltage under applied stress, and piezoelectric strain and voltage
constants were calculated. Performance of films treated to induce water insolubility has
been examined to find optimal processing parameters. Stability of water insoluble films has
been investigated. By altering post treatments, it is possible to improve piezoelectric
strain constants and maintain piezoelectricity for more than 130, 000 cycles. The
successful demonstration of piezoelectric films made from biological polymers offers
exciting ideas for future biomedical tissue engineering and sensing
applications.
Thesis (M.S.)--Tufts University, 2012.
Submitted to the Dept. of Biomedical Engineering.
Advisor: David Kaplan.
Committee: Fiorenzo Omenetto, and Peggy Cebe.
Keyword: Biomedical engineering.read less - ID:
- qz20t4587
- Component ID:
- tufts:21121
- To Cite:
- DCA Citation Guide EndNote
