Nanocrystalline Processing of Polycrystalline Ceramics Exhibiting the Giant Piezoelectric Effect

压电材料可以转换电能和机械能。它们已广泛应用于工业、医疗和家庭应用中。最新的PZN-PTs仅以单晶形式存在。它们的响应速度是传统压电材料的十倍，但它们价格昂贵，机械上易碎，并且有形状限制。该项目将定制纳米结构中间态，以生产更坚固、更通用的多晶PZN-PT陶瓷。它将发展适用于许多材料的纳米晶加工的科学成果，并允许更深入地了解这些材料的异常压电响应机制。

Piezoelectric materials interconvert electric and mechanical energy. They have been incorporated into a wide range of industrial, medical and domestic applications. The newest, known as PZN-PTs, are only available as single crystals. They have ten times the response of conventional piezoelectric materials, however they are expensive, mechanically fragile and have shape limitations. This project will tailor nanostructured intermediate states that will allow the production of stronger, more versatile polycrystalline PZN-PT ceramics. It will develop scientific results on nanocrystalline processing applicable to many materials and allow deeper insight into the mechanism of the anomalous piezoelectric response of these materials.