Processing, Properties and Applications of Ferroelectric Composites

Dear Colleagues,

Ferroelectrics are key technology enablers due to their versatile functional properties that arise from their inherently polar nature. Combining a ferroelectric ceramic with a compliant second phase, or embedding ferroelectric particles in a polymer matrix, to form a composite is a facile method of tailoring their functional properties for a range of applications, compared to monolithic ferroelectric single crystal, ceramic or polymer systems, whilst also improving their mechanical resilience. The number of applications has been growing in recent years, driven in part by the vision of a fully interconnected Internet of Things. The multifunctionality of ferroelectric composites makes them prime candidates for sensors, energy harvesters and energy storage devices, there are new directions for these materials for biomedical and electrochemical applications, and there is continuing interest and development of ferroelectric composites for sonar and medical imaging. The effect of the ferroelectric composite microstructure, i.e., the morphology and connectivity of the constituent phases, determines how the material interacts with local electric, mechanical and thermal fields. These can be manipulated to yield bespoke properties depending on the application, aided by new modelling and simulation methods and enabled by advances in fabrication techniques.  

In this Special Issue, modern trends and future directions in the processing, microstructure, properties and applications of ferroelectric composites are highlighted and discussed.

It is my pleasure to invite the submission of manuscripts for this Special Issue. Full papers, communications and reviews are all welcome.

Dr. James Roscow
Guest Editor

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