Abstract

Piezoelectric materials have been analyzed for over 100 years, due to their ability to convert mechanical vibrations into electric charge or electric fields into a mechanical strain for sensor, energy harvesting, and actuator applications. A more recent development is the coupling of piezoelectricity and electro-chemistry, termed piezo-electro-chemistry, whereby the piezoelectrically induced electric charge or voltage under a mechanical stress can influence electro-chemical reactions. There is growing interest in such coupled systems, with a corresponding growth in the number of associated publications and patents. This review focuses on recent development of the piezo-electro-chemical coupling multiple systems based on various piezoelectric materials. It provides an overview of the basic characteristics of piezoelectric materials and comparison of operating conditions and their overall electro-chemical performance. The reported piezo-electro-chemical mechanisms are examined in detail. Comparisons are made between the ranges of material morphologies employed, and typical operating conditions are discussed. In addition, potential future directions and applications for the development of piezo-electro-chemical hybrid systems are described. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent studies on how piezoelectric materials and devices have been applied to control electro-chemical processes, with an aim to inspire and direct future efforts in this emerging research field.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Original languageEnglish
Article number149
JournalNano-Micro Letters
Volume12
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Jul 2020

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Project from Minister of Science and Technology in China (No. 2016YFA0202701), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51472055), External Cooperation Program of BIC, Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 121411KYS820150028), the 2015 Annual Beijing Talents Fund (No. 2015000021223ZK32), Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (No. 2017ASKJ01), the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. Y8540XX2D2), and the ‘thousands talents’ program for the pioneer researcher and his innovation team, China.

Keywords

  • Electro-chemistry
  • Piezo-electro-chemistry
  • Piezoelectric effect
  • Piezoelectric materials

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Surfaces, Coatings and Films
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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