The ability of certain materials to convert electrical stimuli into mechanical deformation, and vice versa, is a prized property. Not surprisingly, applications of such so-called piezoelectric materials are broad—ranging from energy harvesting to self-powered sensors. In this perspective, written in the form of question-answers, we highlight a relatively understudied electromechanical coupling called flexoelectricity that appears to have tantalizing implications in topics ranging from biophysics to the design of next-generation multifunctional nanomaterials.
Issue Section:
Review Article
Topics:
Deformation,
Design,
Energy harvesting,
Multifunctional materials,
Piezoelectric materials,
Piezoelectricity,
Polarization (Electricity),
Polarization (Light),
Polarization (Waves),
Strain gradient,
Sensors,
Biology,
Elasticity,
Nanomaterials,
Graphene,
Biophysics,
Micromechanics (Engineering),
Modeling,
Nanotechnology
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