Actuators, Piezoelectric Ceramic, Functional Gradient

Abstract

Actuators and materials play a key role in developing advanced precision engineering. The breakthroughs in this field are closely related to the development of various types of actuators and related materials. The successes of piezoelectric ceramics and ceramic actuators have. For instance, the propagating‐wave type ultrasonic motor that produces precise rotational displacements has been used in autofocusing movie cameras and VCRs. Multimorph ceramic actuators prepared from electrostricitive Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 (PMN) ceramics are used as deformable mirrors to correct image distortions from atmospheric effects. The likelihood that the range of applications and demand for actuators will grow actively and has stimulated intensive research on piezoelectric ceramics. Functionally graded materials (FGMs) are a new class of composites that contain a continuous, or discontinuous, gradient in composition and microstructure. Such gradients can be tailored to meet specific needs while providing the best use of composite components. Furthermore, FGM technology is also a novel interfacial technology for solving the problems of the sharp interface between two dissimilar materials. In recent years, significant advances in developing FGMs have been achieved. In this article, we introduce and summarize the recent progress in piezoelectric ceramic actuators and review recent applications of FGMs in piezoelectric ceramic devices.