ABSTRACT
There is an electromechanical coupling in electroelastic materials. When they are subjected to an electric field, mechanical deformation occurs and produces electrical charges under mechanical stress. Due to these excellent properties, electroelastic materials are widely used in the mechanical and electrical engineering fieldssuch as electromechanical transducers, ultrasonic generators, actuators and sensors. Piezomagnetic, magneto-electro-elastic (MEE), electrostrictive and magnetostrictive materials are other kinds of smart materials, which have various practical applications in intelligent structures and many engineering applications.
These days, due to development of new technologies, new materials and also in nanotechnology, piezoelectric and MEE nanomaterials and their nanostructures have captured significant attention in various fields such as fabricating electronic chipsets, micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), nano-electromechanical system (NEMS) and biosensors. This chapter sums up the recent studies in piezoelectric and MEE nanostructures, including piezoelectric and MEE nanobeams, nanoplates, and nanoshells.
