Piezoelectric nanostructures: from amino acids to functional biomaterials

Piezoelectric materials are increasingly recognized as key components in next‑generation nanobiotechnologies due to their ability to convert mechanical energy into electrical signals at the nanoscale. Recent advances have shifted attention toward bio‑origin materials—amino acids, peptides, and proteins - that naturally exhibit piezoelectric properties. These organic systems offer intrinsic biocompatibility and tunable molecular architectures that contrast sharply with traditional inorganic crystals. Despite promising early discoveries, the nanoscale mechanisms governing piezoelectricity in biomolecules remain insufficiently understood, and their integration into practical biomedical platforms poses complex material and design challenges. Studies using advanced atomic‑scale characterization and simulation tools have begun to reveal correlations among molecular ordering, crystallinity, hydrogen bonding, and macroscopic output. Yet, substantial gaps persist in engineering stable, efficient, and reproducible bio‑piezoelectric systems.This Research Topic aims to advance the understanding and application of piezoelectricity in organic biomaterials through an integrative nanobiotechnology lens. It seeks to clarify the molecular and supramolecular principles underlying piezoelectric effects in amino acids, peptides, and proteins, while exploring strategies for fabricating nanostructured and hybrid materials with enhanced electromechanical properties. By bridging molecular design, materials engineering, and biomedical functionality, this topic encourages research that could enable bio‑inspired sensors, actuators, energy harvesters, and regenerative scaffolds that respond dynamically to mechanical or physiological stimuli.To gather further insights into the nanoscale design and functional exploitation of bio‑piezoelectric materials, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Nanoscale characterization of piezoelectricity in amino acid and peptide assemblies- Molecular dynamics and computational modeling of piezoelectric phenomena in biomolecules- Fabrication of bio‑origin piezoelectric nanostructures and hybrid systems- Integration of organic piezoelectric materials into biosensors, actuators, and nanodevices- Biomedical and regenerative applications of peptide‑based piezoelectric scaffolds- Correlation between molecular symmetry, ordering, and electromechanical output- Sustainable and green synthesis routes for organic piezoelectric materials Topic editors: Andrei Kholkin, Kai Tao, Shadab Dabagh Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82114/piezoelectric-nanostructures-from-amino-acids-to-functional-biomaterials