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
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