Zhang Tao, Hu Haoyuan, Jiang Hong, Wang Zhen, Lin Jinfeng, Cheng Ye, Guo Wei, Ke Di, Hang Hai, Ta Mengshu, Ou-Yang Jun, Zhai Jiwei, Yang Xiaofei, Wang Songyun, Zhu Benpeng
School of Integrated Circuit, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Cardiovascular Hospital, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Nat Commun. 2025 Aug 2;16(1):7120. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-62079-0.
High-performance lead-free KNaNbO piezoelectric ceramics present a practical alternative to lead-containing counterparts by effectively reducing potential environmental hazards. This advancement is particularly relevant to the development of ferroelectric heterojunction devices for biomedical applications. Here, we design and fabricate a frequency-adjustable ferroelectric heterojunction based on the developed KNaNbO piezoelectric ceramics with a high piezoelectric coefficient (d = 680 pC/N). By leveraging flexible encapsulation, the heterojunction achieves miniaturization (φ = 13.3 mm, h = 2.28 mm) and suitability for implantation. After penetrating the rat skull, the ultrasound generated by the heterojunction at a frequency of 3 MHz reaches a focal depth of about 7.9 mm, a focal width of approximately 480 μm at -6 dB, and millimeter-scale continuous focal tuning (1.5 mm) within a narrow frequency range (2.7-3.3 MHz). Additionally, the implanted heterojunction enables long-term and high-precision transcranial neuromodulation, and consequently yields therapeutic effects in a myocardial infarction animal model. Collectively, this study highlights a viable strategy for developing and applying lead-free ferroelectric heterojunctions, expanding their potential in brain modulation, and providing new insights into clinical treatments of myocardial infarction.
高性能无铅铌酸钠钾压电陶瓷通过有效减少潜在的环境危害，为含铅同类产品提供了一种切实可行的替代方案。这一进展与用于生物医学应用的铁电异质结器件的开发尤为相关。在此，我们基于已开发的具有高压电系数（d = 680 pC/N）的铌酸钠钾压电陶瓷，设计并制造了一种频率可调的铁电异质结。通过采用柔性封装，该异质结实现了小型化（φ = 13.3 mm，h = 2.28 mm）并适合植入。穿透大鼠颅骨后，该异质结产生的3 MHz频率的超声波达到约7.9 mm的焦深，在 -6 dB时焦宽约为480 μm，并在窄频率范围（2.7 - 3.3 MHz）内实现毫米级连续焦调（1.5 mm）。此外，植入的异质结能够实现长期、高精度的经颅神经调节，从而在心肌梗死动物模型中产生治疗效果。总的来说，这项研究突出了一种开发和应用无铅铁电异质结的可行策略，拓展了它们在脑调制方面的潜力，并为心肌梗死的临床治疗提供了新见解。
