A research team led by Professor Seungbum Hong from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering developed a new kind of ceramic piezoelectric material that is three times more deformable. To achieve this, the research team arranged zinc oxide into a hollow nanostructure using proximity field patterning and atomic layer deposition. The research was published on February 2 under the title “Highly deformable piezoelectric nanotruss for tactile electronics'' in Nano Energy.

Haptic technology is defined as the technology to transmit and understand information through touch. In this field, highly deformable and efficient piezoelectric materials  — materials that can generate electricity when mechanical force is applied — are always in high demand. Piezoelectric ceramics, such as zinc oxide, tend to have very low deformability but high piezoelectric coefficients. Professor Hong’s research team discovered a new arrangement of zinc oxide that allows more elasticity because this monolithic structure is smaller, resistant to fractures, and can withstand strains in all directions more easily.

 The new material has a piezoelectric coefficient of 9.2 pm/V and over three times the elasticity of normal zinc oxide. This research is the first time the potential for highly deformable ceramic piezoelectric materials has been demonstrated. Furthermore, other more efficient materials may be used in place of zinc oxide in the future, allowing for even greater piezoelectric activity. According to Professor Hong, “While additional research must be conducted to realize the application of the proposed designs for haptic enhancement devices, this study holds high value in that it resolves one of the most challenging issues in the use of piezoelectric ceramics, specifically opening new possibilities for their application by overcoming their mechanical constraints.”

This research was supported by the KAIST Global Singularity Research project, the Korea Research Foundation, and the Ministry of Science and ACT.