Piezoelectric materials were first discovered by Jacques and Pierre Curie in the 19^th century.  The literal meaning of piezoelectric is “pressure electricity”, and this meaning aptly describes these materials, as a deformation caused by pressure on the substance will create an electric current within the material.  The mechanical pressure is therefore converted to voltage.

Natural piezoelectric materials are crystalline materials that exhibit the piezoelectric effect.  Often they are strong physically and chemically inert.  The piezoelectric effect can also be found in synthetic polycrystalline ceramics which can be designed to have other specific properties that make individual ceramics useful in many different applications.

Piezoelectric materials are often linked to pyroelectric effects.  Often a material can undergo both effects - one converting mechanical stress energy into electrical energy and the other converting from heat energy.  A piezoelectric material does not, however, always show the pyroelectric effect as well as the piezo.

Applications of piezoelectric materials include stress measurements, vibration measurements, sonar, microphones and ignition systems.