Figure 8.

Illustration of the synergistic effects of combining piezoelectric BTO/P(VDF-TrFE) nanocomposite membranes with xenogenic DBB grafts on the repair of critical-sized bone defects. Electric dipoles of BTO NPs are reoriented in the direction of the poling electric field after corona poling treatment, and consequently polarized charges are generated on the surface of BTO/P(VDF-TrFE) nanocomposite membranes. When the membranes are implanted as a barrier membrane covering the bone defect filled with DBB grafts, the electric microenvironment is sustainably maintained, resulting in enhanced neovascularization and rapid bone regeneration, which consequently led to complete mature bone-structure formation integrated with the implanted DBB grafts.

Abbreviations: DBB, deproteinized bovine bone; BTO, BaTiO₃; P(VDF-TrFE), poly(vinylidene fluoridetrifluoroethylene).