Piezoelectric Biopolymer–Polymer Composite Films and Microfibers

258 is one where the piezoactivity and mechanical properties can be altered individually so that the mechanical stiffness of the material can be controlled for particular applications or tuned to match that of the surroundings (e.g., air or water) for increased transduction sensitivity. Here, we present a new piezoelectric material based on a helical biopolymer with an inherently large electric dipole that allows production of thin films and fibers (submicrometer to millimeter) directly from polymer solution. Furthermore, we show fabrication and piezoelectric properties of the films and fibers composed of poly(a-benzyl g,L-glutamate) (PBLG) (Fig. 1).