Distinguishing electrotensile strain and electrobending strain

Electrobending, an emerging phenomenon in electroactive ceramics, has recently gained significant interest; however, existing measurement methods often confound electrotensile and electrobending strains, leading to ambiguity. This study distinguishes electrotensile and electrobending strains in KNN ceramics by examining thickness, frequency, temperature, and directional dependencies, identifying a critical thickness threshold of 600 μm for electrobending in samples of 8.5 mm diameter. This threshold establishes a clear distinction between electrostriction and electrobending within the KNN system and provides a benchmark that can be applied to other systems through similar methodologies. Additionally, new electrobending parameters are defined to assess bending deformation, addressing recent misinterpretations of “giant strain” and advancing electrostrain research by introducing an electrobending framework.