Piezoelectric effect: Special electro-active nanoparticles developed for potential applications in touch & acoustic sensor

What is the News?

Indian scientists have for the first time proposed an efficient way to induce a property called piezoelectric delta phase in polymer nanoparticles.

What is the Piezoelectric Effect?

Piezoelectric Effect is the ability of certain materials to generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. 

One of the unique characteristics of the piezoelectric effect is that it is reversible, meaning that materials exhibiting the direct piezoelectric effect (the generation of electricity when stress is applied) also exhibit the converse piezoelectric effect (the generation of stress when an electric field is applied).

The piezoelectric effect is very useful within many applications that involve the production and detection of sound, generation of high voltages, electronic frequency generation, microbalances, and ultra-fine focusing of optical assemblies. It also has its use, acting as the ignition source for cigarette lighters.

What is the study conducted by scientists?

There is a delta phase of a piezoelectric effect called delta polymer (PVDF) which is so far less studied due to processing difficulties.

Indian scientists have now made a device that achieved delta-phase in PVDF nanoparticles at the lowest possible electric field to date. This device exhibits a superior piezoelectric response.

This work would open up possibilities for the use of nanotechnology in this field. It will also make it useful for applications in touch Sensors, acoustic sensors and piezoelectric nanogenerators.

Source: This post is based on the article “Special electro-active nanoparticles developed for potential applications in touch & acoustic sensor” published in PIB on 12th January 2022.