Converse/inverse flexoelectric effect in ceramics

Abstract

The electromechanical coupling in the material allows for generating deflection in response to an electric field. Similarly, converse flexoelectricity can also produce in any type of material by inhomogeneous external electric stimuli (breaking the inversion symmetry), similar to direct flexoelectricity. The asymmetric configuration of electrodes or materials (composites or functionally graded material-FGM) can induce converse flexoelectricity. The converse flexoelectric effect in such materials does not depend on the materials’ size/design or structure. In the literature, several designs (laminated beam with four pointing bending or atomic force tip) and structures (cone, trapezoid, bicone) are studied theoretically/experimentally, and the same has been described in this chapter. First, the origin/theory of the converse flexoelectric effect is discussed. Then, various numerical modeling, theoretical analysis, and experimental measurements used for converse flexoelectric analysis are explained. Finally, the converse flexoelectric effect in lead-free ceramics, lead-based ceramics, isogeometric composites/compositions, and some polymer/single crystals are explored. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.