Programmable 3D‐Orthotropic Piezoceramic Sensors Enabled by Solid‐Loading‐Maximized Additive Manufacturing

ABSTRACT Additive manufacturing has opened new avenues for geometric customization and functional integration of piezoelectric ceramics, yet conventional methods face irreconcilable conflicts between ultrahigh solid‐loading and microscale precision, fundamentally limiting their electromechanical performance and structural‐sensing fidelity. Here, this work presents a precision 3D printing strategy based on ultrahigh solid loading (90 wt.%), achieving minimal defect BaTiO 3 piezoelectric ceramics with synchronized enhancement of functional and mechanical properties through optimized rheological behavior. This approach attains optimized piezoelectric coefficient ( d 33 > 240 pC N −1 ) and mechanical robustness (compressive strength > 340 MPa), delivering overall performance comparable to conventional dry‐pressed ceramics. Simultaneously, the process enables high‐resolution fabrication of monolithic devices (<5 mm edge length) incorporating sub‐200 µm critical features. Crucially, a general design framework programs 3D‐orthotropic sensing into architected triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) microstructures through parameterized symmetry‐breaking. This process converts tailored mechanical anisotropy, combined with a fixed poling direction, into orthogonal sensitivity gradients and structural‐signal fidelity. The resulting sensing platforms demonstrate high sensitivity (0.42 V N −1 ), high linearity (R 2 > 0.999), near‐zero delay with waveform synchronism, and power density (>68 µW cm −3 ), enabling orthotropic force discrimination along three orthogonal axes for autonomous microsystems. This work advances the manufacturing paradigm for high‐performance piezoelectric ceramics, offering scalable potential for microsensors and energy harvesters.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2026-07-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202523909
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Programmable 3D‐Orthotropic Piezoceramic Sensors Enabled by Solid‐Loading‐Maximized Additive Manufacturing

Weidong Zhao, Yaxiang Sun, Peipei Wang, Yanju Liu et al.
Advanced Functional Materials
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
article

Programmable 3D‐Orthotropic Piezoceramic Sensors Enabled by Solid‐Loading‐Maximized Additive Manufacturing

Weidong Zhao, Yaxiang Sun, Peipei Wang, Yanju Liu, Xin Lan, Jinsong Leng
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Additive manufacturing has opened new avenues for geometric customization and functional integration of piezoelectric ceramics, yet conventional methods face irreconcilable conflicts between ultrahigh solid‐loading and microscale precision, fundamentally limiting their electromechanical performance and structural‐sensing fidelity. Here, this work presents a precision 3D printing strategy based on ultrahigh solid loading (90 wt.%), achieving minimal defect BaTiO 3 piezoelectric ceramics with synchronized enhancement of functional and mechanical properties through optimized rheological behavior. This approach attains optimized piezoelectric coefficient ( d 33 > 240 pC N −1 ) and mechanical robustness (compressive strength > 340 MPa), delivering overall performance comparable to conventional dry‐pressed ceramics. Simultaneously, the process enables high‐resolution fabrication of monolithic devices (<5 mm edge length) incorporating sub‐200 µm critical features. Crucially, a general design framework programs 3D‐orthotropic sensing into architected triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) microstructures through parameterized symmetry‐breaking. This process converts tailored mechanical anisotropy, combined with a fixed poling direction, into orthogonal sensitivity gradients and structural‐signal fidelity. The resulting sensing platforms demonstrate high sensitivity (0.42 V N −1 ), high linearity (R 2 > 0.999), near‐zero delay with waveform synchronism, and power density (>68 µW cm −3 ), enabling orthotropic force discrimination along three orthogonal axes for autonomous microsystems. This work advances the manufacturing paradigm for high‐performance piezoelectric ceramics, offering scalable potential for microsensors and energy harvesters.

Advanced Functional Materials
Harbin Institute of Technology (CN), Suzhou Research Institute (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Peace, Justice and strong institutions
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.