Ultrasound Stimulation of Piezoelectric Composite Harvester with Compliant Layers for Bone Healing

摘要

The addition of a 0.4 or 0.8 mm compliant layer increased the ability of the PZT composite to produce electrical potential from a medical imaging ultrasound source which can then be rectified for use in DC bone stimulation applications. This effect is largest in water and tissue plus bone media. However, in functional implants, a baseline voltage of approximately 0.4 V for low power dissipation applications is required to pass through a rectifying circuit [5]. The results of this study show that medical imaging ultrasound may not be able to generate sufficient electrical potential with normal tissue interface conditions. This justifies the need for development of specific ultrasound sources for directed mechanical stimulation of the piezoelectric composite. Future work should include development and testing of focused ultrasound sources for higher power output and efficient design of a new rectifying circuit.