Lead-free Ferro-/Piezoelectric Ceramics and Thin Films

Dear Colleagues,

Piezoelectrics are an important class of function materials that convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, and vice versa. Ferroelectrics are a special class of piezoelectrics with switchable polarization. Ferro-/piezoelectric ceramics and thin films hold key importance both in existing and new technological applications in energy storage, energy harvesting, sensors, actuators, electromechanical transducers, and micro-and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), which are the building blocks of future-generation smart electronics, robotics, and the Internet of Things (IoT). With increasing concerns about the environmental and health problems in traditional lead-based ferro-/piezoelectric materials (such as lead zirconate titanate, PZT), it is imperative to develop environmentally friendly “lead-free ferro-/piezoelectric” alternatives with a similar performance. However, there are still obstacles to overcome in order to realize this objective. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to encourage efforts towards this research direction, including the latest progress in the fabrication process, the high performance, the fundamental mechanisms, the novel structural strategies, and the relationship between the structures and macroscopic properties of lead-free ferro-/piezoelectric ceramics and thin films. Research on state-of-the-art piezo-/ferroelectrics devices, namely, nanogenerators, memorizers, sensors, and transducers, is also encouraged. These materials include both inorganic (e.g., perovskite and bismuth layer-structured ferro-/piezoelectric ceramics and ZnO nanostructures) and organic (e.g., polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and its copolymers and their composites, and biopolymers) lead-free ferro-/piezoelectric materials.

Dr. Jinyan Zhao
Dr. Zenghui Liu
Dr. Ting Zheng
Guest Editors

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