Fabrication of a piezoelectric ceramic using a spark plasma sintering technique and its application for a focused ultrasound-assisted lipolysis system

Pb(Zr_0.5Ti_0.5)O₃ piezoelectric ceramics have been prepared using a spark plasma sintering technique and adapted for the design of a noninvasive lipolysis system, as the traditional ultrasound-assisted lipolysis system (UALS) is extremely invasive, significantly increasing the risk of morbidity and mortality. In order to transfer high sonic energy into a certain depth of skin (subcutaneous area) with minimal damage to superficial skin, a focusing acoustic wave design was developed. The selfdesigned UALS device was found to be very effective in destructing the adipocytes around the focused area in animal experiments. The focusing probe with bio-applicable piezoelectric materials shows great promise for future clinical applications.