Promoted osteogenesis by corona discharge poling induced in electroactive piezoelectric bioceramics

Rapid bone reconstruction and regeneration process is still a problem to be solved in the clinical orthopedic treatment. In vivo electric stimulation (ES) shows great promise in repair and regeneration of damaged tissues, and the piezoelectric characteristic of nature bone tissue make the electrical activity piezoelectricity biomaterials feasible and attractive in bone regeneration. Herein, we prepared a biocompatible lead-free piezoelectric ceramic K 0.5 Na 0.5 NbO 3 (KNN) via solid phase sintering, which possesses wireless ES capability through corona discharge poling. Compared with the traditional piezoelectric ceramic polarization methods, corona discharge poling is a non-contact and biologically safer electrical poling method without electrodes or insulating liquids. The results of piezoelectricity, the water contact angle, the protein adsorption, surface potential characteristics of KNN ceramics and bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) behavior on ceramics, showed that after corona discharge poling the surface of KNN piezoelectric ceramic became hydrophilic, and positively charged, and the electrostatic effect formed by these charges promoted protein adsorption and BMSCs attachment and proliferation, which further promoted osteogenic differentiation. In conclusion, we used the corona discharge to polarize KNN piezoelectric ceramics and excellent biocompatibility of the ceramics was maintained after poling. Meanwhile, our work demonstrated the potential application of piezoelectric bio-ceramic materials in bone regeneration.