Piezoelectric Effect Research Articles

Governing of the piezoelectric effect by external fields and strains

Piezoelectricity in quantum rare-earth metallic boron oxides with the coupling between magnetic, electric and elastic subsystem is studied theoretically. It is proved that the change of piezoelectric modules of the considered crystals are proportional to components of the quadrupole susceptibility, which determines the external magnetic and electric fields, strain and temperature dependences of that change. We show why holmium compounds manifest the strongest renormalization among other rare-earth ions in this family of crystals. The reason is in the structure of the low energy term of the electron configuration, depending on spins and orbital moments of 4f electrons.

Application of a Modified First-Order Plate Theory to Structural Analysis of Sensitive Elements in a Pyroelectric Detector.

Pyroelectric materials, with piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity, have been widely used in infrared thermal detectors. In this paper, a modified first-order plate theory is extended to analyze a pyroelectric sensitive element structure. The displacement, temperature, and electric potential expand along the thickness direction. The governing equation of the pyroelectric plate is built up. The potential distributions with upper and lower electrodes are obtained under different supported boundary conditions. The corresponding numerical results of electric potential are consistent with those obtained by the three-dimensional finite element method. Meanwhile, the theoretical results of electric potential are close to that of experiments. The influence of supported boundary conditions, piezoelectric effect, and plate thickness are analyzed. Numerical results show that the piezoelectric effect reduces the electric potential. The thickness of the pyroelectric plate enhances the electric potential but reduces the response speed of the detector. It is anticipated that the pyroelectric plate theory can provide a theoretical approach for the structural design of pyroelectric sensitive elements.

Inverse design of TPMS piezoelectric metamaterial based on deep learning

Piezoelectric metamaterials are a class of composite structural materials with a piezoelectric effect that achieve efficient coupling between electrical and mechanical energy through their unique microscopic design. Typically, the tailoring of cellular architectures paves the way for unlocking the potential to achieve unprecedentedly designed materials with specific properties. We have developed three different inverse design frameworks for metamaterials, using deep learning (DL) techniques and underpinned by Bayesian optimisation. These frameworks reveal precise one-to-many correlations between material properties and geometric parameters within the triple periodic minimal surface (TPMS) piezoelectric metamaterial. For the first time, we have introduced the Progressive Latin Hypercube Sampling (PLHS) method to the inverse design process of metamaterials, highlighting the effectiveness of uniform sampling to improve the efficiency of deep learning models. The conditional variational autoencoder (cVAE), the conditional generative adversarial network (cGAN) and the multilayer perceptron (MLP) are studied for comparative analysis. All three models incorporate an inverse design network and a feature predictor to construct a continuous latent representation of a large number of hybrid TPMS (H-TPMS). After extensive training, the models can generate various piezoelectric porous structures that accurately meet the required material property parameters. Our results demonstrate the high accuracy of cVAE in inverse design, with 98.92% agreement for piezoelectric values and 96.44% agreement for mechanical properties. The three inverse design frameworks show different generalisation capabilities, with cVAE performing best. This study thoroughly analyses the strengths and limitations of each model, providing valuable insights for researchers seeking inverse design recommendations.

Synergy of sulfur vacancy and piezoelectric effect to tune charge migration in Sv-ZnIn2S4/UiO-66-NH2 for efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution

High-performance photocatalytic H2 evolution materials require strong light absorption capability, excellent photogenerated charge separation ability and efficient charge carrier migration capability. In this study, we designed a piezoelectric photocatalytic heterojunction composed of UiO-66-NH2 and ZnIn2S4 nanosheets with sulfur vacancies. The Sv-UZ-45 heterojunction achieved piezoelectric photocatalytic H2 evolution performance of 3886.4 μmol·g-1·h-1, with a 4.6 times enhancement due to the synergistic effect of piezoelectric effect and defect engineering. The introduction of sulfur vacancies enables the heterojunction to obtain stronger light absorption, while the higher CB position of rich-sulfur vacancies ZnIn2S4 is more favorable for the photocatalytic reduction reaction. In addition, the heterojunction with rich-sulfur vacancies exhibits a stronger piezoelectric effect than without vacancies, thus providing a powerful driving force for the separation of photogenerated charge carriers. Finally, ESR was used to explain the potential photocatalytic mechanism and showed that Sv-UZ-45 adheres to the Z-scheme carrier migration pathway. This work elucidates the synergistic interaction between piezoelectric effect and defect engineering, providing new insights for the further development of high-performance piezoelectric photocatalysts.

Insight into interfacial engineering for enhancing the synergistic effect of piezo-photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide production

Constructing heterojunctions represents a prevalent approach for enhancing piezo-photocatalytic performance. However, it remains challenging due to contradictory charge polarity and a poor active site. In this study, we employed an in situ hydrothermal method to fabricate a ZnIn2S4-BiOCl compact heterojunction with interfacial chemical bonding. Experimental and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the interfacial chemical bond (Bi-S bond) creates a strong interfacial electronic effect between the heterojunctions, acting as strain centers and charge transfer channels to enhance coordinated piezoelectric and photoelectric fields, thereby facilitating charge transfer. Additionally, interfacial bonding induces dynamic surface reconstruction and redistribution of electron density, improving reactant activation and charge exchange while reducing reaction barriers. Consequently, ZB-4 catalyst exhibits exceptional piezoelectric photocatalytic performance for pure water to H2O2 conversion (1987.33 μmol g-1·h-1), which is 5.85 times than that of pure BiOCl. This study presents a valuable strategy for enhancing positive coordination between heterojunctions and the photocatalytic piezoelectric effect.

Physical stimulations and their osteogenesis-inducing mechanisms.

Physical stimulations such as magnetic, electric and mechanical stimulation could enhance cell activity and promote bone formation in bone repair process via activating signal pathways, modulating ion channels, regulating bonerelated gene expressions, etc. In this paper, bioeffects of physical stimulations on cell activity, tissue growth and bone healing were systematically summarized, which especially focused on their osteogenesis-inducing mechanisms. Detailedly, magnetic stimulation could produce Hall effect which improved the permeability of cell membrane and promoted the migration of ions, especially accelerating the extracellular calcium ions to pass through cell membrane. Electric stimulation could induce inverse piezoelectric effect which generated electric signals, accordingly up-regulating intracellular calcium levels and growth factor synthesis. And mechanical stimulation could produce mechanical signals which were converted into corresponding biochemical signals, thus activating various signaling pathways on cell membrane and inducing a series of gene expressions. Besides, bioeffects of physical stimulations combined with bone scaffolds which fabricated using 3D printing technology on bone cells were discussed. The equipments of physical stimulation system were described. The opportunities and challenges of physical stimulations were also presented from the perspective of bone repair.

The influence of piezoelectric on the nonlinear stochastic vibration of BN nanoresonator

The outstanding physical properties of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) make it highly valuable for use in nanoelectromechanical systems. We investigate the nonlinear stochastic vibration of h-BN nanowire affected by piezoelectric. The nonlinear beam model considering the impact of piezoelectric effect excited by random force is established. Molecular dynamic simulations were utilized to determine the potential energy of h-BN nanowires under varying amplitudes affected by an external electric field. The findings suggest that an increase in the intensity of the electric field can result in buckling behavior, leading to the appearance of two stable points. The cases of pre-buckling and post-buckling of nonlinear dynamic behavior of h-BN nanowire induced by piezoelectric effect is discussed in this paper. Furthermore, the impact of the intensity of random force on the nonlinear stochastic vibration characteristics of h-BN nanowire is also examined.

Mechanical energy drives the growth and carbon fixation of electroactive microorganisms

Phototrophy and chemotrophy are two dominant types of microbial metabolism. However, to date, the potential of the ubiquitous and versatile mechanical energy as a renewable energy source to drive the growth of microorganisms has remained unknown and not utilized. Here, we present evidence in favor of a previously unidentified metabolic pathway, in which the electronic energy produced from mechanical energy by the piezoelectric materials is used to support the growth of microorganisms. When electroactive microorganism Rhodopseudomonas palustris (R. palustris; with barium titanate nanoparticles) was mechanically stirred, a powerful biohybrid piezoelectric effect (BPE) enabled sustainable carbon fixation coupled with nitrate reduction. Transcriptomic analyses demonstrated that mechanical stirring of the bacteria–barium titanate biohybrid led to upregulation of genes encoding functions involved in electron and energy transfer in R. palustris. Studies with other electroactive microorganisms suggested that the ability of microbes to utilize BPE may be a common phenomenon in the microbial world. Taken together, these findings imply a long-neglected and potentially important microbial metabolic pathway, with potential importance to microbial survival in the energy-limited environments.

Harvesting energy from a soldier's gait using the piezoelectric effect

Abstract There is an increasing dependence on electronic devices in the battlefield, including equipment for communications, positioning and navigation, and combat situation awareness. These devices are usually powered by batteries because they are reliable and have good power density (energy per kilogram). Nevertheless, batteries are heavy and bulky, which reduces agility and increases fatigue of the ground troops. An alternative is to extract energy from renewable sources (like the sun and the wind) or harvest energy from the human body itself (like temperature gradients and walking). This article studies the feasibility of a piezoelectric generator, stimulated by human gait, to power electronic devices on the battlefield. Tests were carried out to measure the energy harvested from several piezoelectric ceramics placed under the sole of a soldier’s boot. Different materials and arrangements were tried to maximize the power, leading to the development of a prototype. The prototype was able to harvest 875 μ J {\rm{\mu }}{\rm{J}} on each step, on average. Walking 1 h, at a pace of 40 steps/min, leads to 2.1 J of energy, enough to supply a 3.3 V device consuming 10 mA for around a minute. These results are interesting for any situation that requires emergency power on the battlefield (e.g., trigger a device, call for rescue, acquire localization).

Flexible Electronics: Advancements and Applications of Flexible Piezoelectric Composites in Modern Sensing Technologies.

The piezoelectric effect refers to a physical phenomenon where piezoelectric materials generate an electric field when subjected to mechanical stress or undergo mechanical deformation when subjected to an external electric field. This principle underlies the operation of piezoelectric sensors. Piezoelectric sensors have garnered significant attention due to their excellent self-powering capability, rapid response speed, and high sensitivity. With the rapid development of sensor techniques achieving high precision, increased mechanical flexibility, and miniaturization, a range of flexible electronic products have emerged. As the core constituents of piezoelectric sensors, flexible piezoelectric composite materials are commonly used due to their unique advantages, including high conformability, sensitivity, and compatibility. They have found applications in diverse domains such as underwater detection, electronic skin sensing, wearable sensors, targeted therapy, and ultrasound diagnostics for deep tissue. The advent of flexible piezoelectric composite materials has revolutionized the design concepts and application scenarios of traditional piezoelectric materials, playing a crucial role in the development of next-generation flexible electronic products. This paper reviews the research progress on flexible piezoelectric composite materials, covering their types and typical fabrication techniques, as well as their applications across various fields. Finally, a summary and outlook on the existing issues and future development of these composite materials are provided.

Sulfur-Vacancy-Engineered Two-Dimensional Cu@SnS2-x Nanosheets Constructed via Heterovalent Substitution for High-Efficiency Piezocatalytic Tumor Therapy.

Ultrasound (US)-mediated piezocatalytic tumor therapy has attracted much attention due to its notable tissue-penetration capabilities, noninvasiveness, and low oxygen dependency. Nevertheless, the efficiency of piezocatalytic therapy is limited due to an inadequate piezoelectric response, low separation of electron-hole (e--h+) pairs, and complex tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, an ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) sulfur-vacancy-engineered (Sv-engineered) Cu@SnS2-x nanosheet (NS) with an enhanced piezoelectric effect was constructed via the heterovalent substitution strategy of Sn4+ by Cu2+. The introduction of Cu2+ ion not only causes changes in the crystal structure to increase polarization but also generates rich Sv to decrease band gap from 2.16 to 1.62 eV and inhibit e--h+ pairs recombination, collectively leading to the highly efficient generation of reactive oxygen species under US irradiation. Moreover, Cu@SnS2-x shows US-enhanced TME-responsive Fenton-like catalytic activity and glutathione depletion ability, further aggravating the oxidative stress. Both in vitro and in vivo results prove that the Sv-engineered Cu@SnS2-x NSs can significantly kill tumor cells and achieve high-efficiency piezocatalytic tumor therapy in a biocompatible manner. Overall, this study provides a new avenue for sonocatalytic therapy and broadens the application of 2D piezoelectric materials.

Constructing magnetically propelled piezoelectric and pyroelectric bifunctional micromotors to boost the photocatalytic H2 production involving biomass reforming

Biomass-assisted photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen (H2) production has attracted widespread interest, which is important for the development of green H2 energy and the high value-added utilization of biomass. Although photothermal utilization can improve solar energy conversion efficiency, the elevated temperature also enhances the likelihood of electron-hole collisions. Herein, magnetically propelled PVDF/Fe3O4@g-C3N4 spiral micromotors were constructed to easily foster the synergistic coupling of piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects, which is beneficial to enhance the directional migration of photogenerated carriers at high temperatures. With both piezo- and pyroelectric effects, the biomass glucose involved H2 production rate on PVDF/Fe3O4@g-C3N4 spiral micromotors is 42.3 μmol/h, representing a significant increase of 31.9 times compared to water splitting without these effects, and the average apparent quantum yield at ordinary pressure can reach 12.6 %. Furthermore, photoluminescence and variable-temperature electrochemistry demonstrate that the piezo-pyroelectric coupling can accelerate the separation of carriers. Meanwhile, COMSOL simulations and KPFM tests show that the built-in electric field of the sample is enhanced under the piezo-pyroelectric effect. The spiral micromotors can easily realize the synergism of piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects, which provides an effective strategy to enhance the built-in electric field and thereby improve the performance of photocatalytic H2 evolution involving biomass reforming.

Mode-III fracture of four cracks emanating from an elliptical hole in one-dimensional orthorhombic quasicrystals with piezoelectric effect

In this study, a new generalized conformal mapping is introduced using the generalized complex variable method, focusing on the investigation of the anti-plane problem of an elliptical hole with four cracks in one-dimensional (1D) orthogonal piezoelectric quasicrystals. Under the consideration of electrically impermeable and electrically permeable boundary conditions, the governing equations of the anti-plane problem in 1D orthogonal piezoelectric quasicrystals are successfully simplified into an eighth-order partial differential equation and a fourth-order partial differential equation by introducing a potential function. Based on this, analytical solutions for the stress field and electric field are obtained, and the exact solution for the stress intensity factor (SIF) is derived. In addition, formulas for the electric displacement intensity factor (EDIF) and energy release rate are provided. Subsequently, the influence of geometric parameters and external loads on the field intensity factors and energy release rate is analyzed through numerical examples, providing a theoretical basis for engineering mechanics analysis.

Rayleigh wave in nonlocal piezo-thermo-electric semiconductor medium with fractional MGT model

This paper addresses a critical gap in Rayleigh wave propagation studies within piezoelectric semiconductors. Existing research often overlooks the combined effects of piezoelectricity, semiconductivity, and thermal behavior. This work presents analytical solutions for Rayleigh waves in a novel nonlocal thermo-piezo-photo-electric semiconductor half-space, employing the fractional Moore-Gibson-Thompson model. The wave-mode method and Durand-Kerner technique are employed to extract relevant solutions from the characteristic equation, ensuring surface wave decay. Analysis is conducted for waves propagating in a stress-free, photo-excited, and isothermal boundary condition. Numerical simulations unveil phase velocity, attenuation coefficient, and particle motion, leading to a deeper understanding of wave behavior. The influence of nonlocal and fractional order parameters is meticulously investigated. These findings reveal unique phenomena that significantly advance the comprehension of Rayleigh waves in these intricate materials.

A novel Z-scheme SnS/NiAl-LDH/g-C3N4 heterojunction for piezo-photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline: Performance and mechanism

The construction of a heterojunction piezo-photocatalyst is one of the most effective strategies to accelerate charge transfer and improve catalytic performance. A novel ternary heterojunction was synthesized by introducing SnS nanoparticles (NPs) onto the surface of a NiAl-LDH/g-C3N4 (LDH/CN) nanosheets via a facile hydrothermal method. The separation and transfer paths of carriers was studied for the piezo-photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC), a common antibiotic, under ultrasonic and visible light irradiation. The SnS/LDH/CN piezo-photocatalyst generated a built-in electric field by the piezoelectric effect, which was beneficial for the separation of electron-hole pairs. Furthermore, the Z-scheme heterojunction endowed with a larger surface area, abundant active sites, and improved light-harvesting capacity further improved piezo-photocatalytic performance for TC. In particular, a CLS-30 (30 wt% of SnS on LDH/CN) heterojunction exhibited the highest degradation efficiency with 98.5 % removal of TC (20 mg/L) in 60 min, which was higher than that of ultrasonic vibration (38.2 %) and visible light illumination (79.4 %). TC degradation efficiency remained at almost 90 % after 4 consecutive cycles. This work provides a novel viewpoint for designing high-performance and stable heterojunction piezo-photocatalysts for energy limited wastewater remediation applications.

Giant Piezoelectric Effects of Topological Structures in Stretched Ferroelectric Membranes.

Freestanding ferroelectric oxide membranes emerge as a promising platform for exploring the interplay between topological polar ordering and dipolar interactions that are continuously tunable by strain. Our investigations combining density functional theory (DFT) and deep-learning-assisted molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that DFT-predicted strain-driven morphotropic phase boundary involving monoclinic phases manifest as diverse domain structures at room temperatures, featuring continuous distributions of dipole orientations and mobile domain walls. Detailed analysis of dynamic structures reveals that the enhanced piezoelectric response observed in stretched PbTiO_{3} membranes results from small-angle rotations of dipoles at domain walls, distinct from conventional polarization rotation mechanism and adaptive phase theory inferred from static structures. We identify a ferroelectric topological structure, termed "dipole spiral," which exhibits a giant intrinsic piezoelectric response (>320 pC/N). This helical structure, possessing a rotational zero-energy mode, unlocks new possibilities for exploring chiral phonon dynamics and dipolar Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya-like interactions.

Oxygen-defect bismuth oxychloride nanosheets for ultrasonic cavitation effect enhanced sonodynamic and second near-infrared photo-induced therapy of breast cancer

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) relies heavily on the presence of oxygen to induce cell death. Its effectiveness is thus diminished in the hypoxic regions of tumor tissue. To address this issue, the exploration of ultrasound-based synergistic treatment modalities has become a significant research focus. Here, we report an ultrasonic cavitation effect enhanced sonodynamic and 1208 nm photo-induced cancer treatment strategy based on thermoelectric/piezoelectric oxygen-defect bismuth oxychloride nanosheets (BNs) to realize the high-performance eradication of tumors. Upon ultrasonic irradiation, the local high temperature and high pressure generated by the ultrasonic cavitation effect combined with the thermoelectric and piezoelectric effects of BNs create a built-in electric field. This facilitates the separation of carriers, increasing their mobility and extending their lifetimes, thereby greatly improving the effectiveness of SDT and NIR-Ⅱ phototherapy on hypoxia. The Tween-20 modified BNs (TBNs) demonstrate ∼88.6 % elimination rate against deep-seated tumor cells under hypoxic conditions. In vivo experiments confirm the excellent antitumor efficacy of TBNs, achieving complete tumor elimination within 10 days with no recurrences. Furthermore, due to the high X-ray attenuation of Bi and excellent NIR-Ⅱ absorption, TBNs enable precise cancer diagnosis through photoacoustic (PA) imaging and computed tomography (CT).

Nontoxic flexible TENG with robust piezoelectric enhancement through graphitic carbon nitride-incorporated PVDF for wearable sensors and power supplies

Flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with superior performance and nontoxicity is desirable for sustainable and wearable electronic applications. Herein, a two-dimensional graphitic-carbon-nitride incorporated poly (vinylidene fluoride) (g-C3N4/PVDF) electronegative layer is synthesized and then assembled with a nylon-11 nanofibers electropositive layer to fabricate a nontoxic flexible TENG. Owing to the synergy of excellent electronegativity of PVDF and robust piezoelectricity enhanced by angle-and-thickness-independent piezoelectric effect of g-C3N4, the optimized TENG exhibits stable and superior output performance including open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 339 V, short-circuit current (ISC) of 14.5 μA, and power density of 0.94 W/m2, better than previously-reported values of PVDF-based and g-C3N4 TENGs. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the optimized TENG can be used not only as a power supply to drive electronics but also as flexible wearable sensors to detect complex motions in real time. Our results provide a convenient way to fabricate a high-performance nontoxic flexible TENG for wearable sensors and power supplies.

Auxetic enhancement of the shunted piezoelectric effect for vibration suppression

Shunted piezoelectric patches connected to passive electric circuits can be attached to a host structure for effective vibration attenuation. The effect of an auxetic layer to enhance the electromechanical coupling and subsequently the vibration suppression is studied here. Three different configurations are considered for the layer: a classical, a homogeneous auxetic and a layer with microstructure leading to auxetic behavior. First, is presented a modification of the “current-flowing” shunt circuit for multimode vibration control. Two finite element models have been validated, the frequency response graph of the system and the most suitable values of the electric parameters are calculated and a comparison is provided. Furthermore, it is shown that the vibration reduction of the second and third eigenmodes can be enhanced, provided that an auxetic of significant thickness is used. The results demonstrate the effect of the auxetic boosting on vibration suppression.

A Time-Domain Perspective on the Structural and Electronic Response in Epitaxial Ferroelectric Thin Films on Silicon.

This operando study of epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.48Ti0.52)O3 capacitors on silicon substrates studies their structural response via synchrotron-based time-resolved X-ray diffraction during hysteresis-loop measurements in the 2-200 kHz range. At high frequencies, the polarization hysteresis loop is rounded and the classical butterfly-like strain hysteresis acquires a flat dumbbell shape. We explain these observations from a time-domain perspective: The polarization and structural motion within the unit cell are coupled to the strain by the piezoelectric effect and limited by domain wall velocity. The solution of this coupled oscillator system is derived experimentally from the simultaneously measured electronic and structural data. The driving stress σFE(t) is calculated as the product of the measured voltage U(t) and polarization P(t). Unlike the electrical variables, σFE(t) and η(t) of the ferroelectric oscillate at twice the frequency of the applied electrical field. We model the measured frequency-dependent phase shift between η(t) and σFE(t).