Constructing an electrical microenvironment based on electroactive polymers in the field of bone tissue engineering

The process of bone tissue repair and regeneration must occur in a suitable electrical microenvironment, which is one of the most important microenvironments. Electroactive materials appropriately simulate the bioelectric nature of bone and provide the electrical microenvironment required for bone repair, which accelerates bone repair and regeneration. The concept of electrical stimulation-induced osteogenesis promotes the development of electroactive materials as orthopedic implants. This article reviews the general bioelectric phenomena in organisms and the electrical response of natural bone, and briefly explains the promotion of bone regeneration by the electrical microenvironment. Electroactive materials in the field of bone tissue engineering are divided into two categories, such as piezoelectric polymers and conductive polymers, and the material properties, research progress, and applications of each will be described in detail. This article analyzes the limitations of piezoelectric and conductive materials for constructing an electrical microenvironment, reveals the potential of these two materials for overcoming the application limitations of a single type of electroactive material, and discusses the principles. The future challenges and developmental prospects of electroactive materials are discussed. This review comprehensively emphasizes the important characteristics of electroactive biomaterials and points out the direction of development for composite applications of different electroactive materials.