Optimizing Piezoelectric Responses: The Role of Microstructural Control and Interfacial Design in Composites

Piezoelectric materials combine high electromechanical coupling with flexibility, making them essential in energy harvesting and smart sensing. They show great promise in human motion monitoring, self-powered sensors, vibration and noise reduction, underwater transducers, and portable power sources. However, both ceramics and polymers have inherent drawbacks when used alone. For example, ceramics are highly brittle, while polymers typically exhibit weak piezoelectric activity. Combining the two into composites can leverage their complementary strengths. Yet such composites face challenges, mainly the reduced force–electric coupling efficiency caused by poor dispersion of ceramic fillers and insufficient interfacial compatibility. This paper focuses on the fundamental piezoelectric mechanisms of piezoelectric composites and highlights microstructural control strategies as its main contribution. It provides a comprehensive review of oriented preparation methods for matrices and functional phases and examines how orientation affects piezoelectric properties. It also analyzes interface structure mechanisms through physical and chemical modification approaches. The paper further reviews application scenarios of piezoelectric materials. Overall, it offers theoretical support and practical guidance for the structural design, preparation, and engineering applications of high-performance piezoelectric composites.