The new material was created from diphenylalanine, a form of phenylalanine, one of the 20 amino acids that make up proteins and plays an important role in biological processes. This substance is part of the human body, which means that its materials are highly compatible with living tissues.
The resulting films have high piezoelectric properties: under mechanical or thermal influence they generate electricity, explained Denis Alikin, head of the laboratory of nanomaterials and functional nanodevices.
The development has enormous potential for the creation of invasive devices in medicine. When the heart moves or beats, the films will generate current, which is then stored in the pacemaker’s batteries.
“Energy storage devices based on these materials can solve the problem of replacing used batteries and will also reduce the number of surgical interventions,” considers the scientist.
Additionally, unlike their inorganic counterparts, new films have lower rejection rates.
They were synthesized thanks to a new method: crystallization from an amorphous phase under the influence of water vapor, UrFU clarified.
