Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 18, 2026
10:14
Fabrication and Operation of Acoustofluidic Devices Supporting Bulk Acoustic Standing Waves for Sheathless Focusing of Particles
Published on: March 6, 2016
13.5K
Piezoelectric enhancement under negative pressure.
Alexander Kvasov1, Leo J McGilly1, Jin Wang2
1Ceramics Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Nature Communications
|July 12, 2016
Summary
Negative pressure significantly enhances piezoelectric properties in ferroelectric materials like lead titanate. This study confirms theoretical predictions experimentally, paving the way for advanced piezoelectric devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Solid State Chemistry
Background:
- Ferroelectric properties (spontaneous polarization, Curie temperature) are enhanced under negative pressure.
- Piezoelectric properties are typically expected to increase with positive pressure via polarization rotation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the piezoelectric response of perovskite ferroelectrics under negative pressure.
- Experimentally validate theoretical predictions of enhanced piezoelectricity under negative pressure.
Main Methods:
- First-principles calculations were employed to study lead titanate (PbTiO3), lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr,Ti)O3), and barium titanate (BaTiO3).
- Experimental validation was performed on free-standing PbTiO3 and Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 nanowires under self-sustained negative pressure.
Main Results:
- Significant enhancement of piezoelectric response was observed in perovskite ferroelectrics under negative pressure.
- Experimental results on nanowires confirmed the theoretical predictions of enhanced electromechanical properties.
Conclusions:
- Negative pressure is identified as the origin of enhanced electromechanical properties in ferroelectric nanowires.
- The findings suggest potential for developing highly performing piezoelectric materials, including lead-free alternatives.
