Electro- and Magnetoactive Materials in Medicine: A Review of Existing and Potential Areas of Application

The review covers problems related to development and application of a new type of “smart” medical materials, mainly, for regeneration of bone tissue that are capable of creating additional stimuli influencing the regeneration process. Application of ferroelectric and magnetoelastic materials is discussed, including their use as sensors and actuators. Physical and materials science principles of development, along with examples of using composite magnetoelectric materials of the piezoelectric/magnetoelastic type as magnetically controlled scaffolds creating local electric fields, are analyzed.