Dielectric or Piezoelectric: What's the Difference?

In summary, dielectric materials and piezoelectric materials are both used between plates and involve the polarization and dipole of molecules. However, dielectric materials do not create voltage without an external voltage, while piezoelectric materials can generate voltage without one. Piezoelectric materials are a type of dielectric material, but not all dielectric materials are piezoelectric. The piezoelectric property is the dependence of dielectric polarization on stress, and this property does not negate a material's dielectric properties.
  • #1
Gunmo
11
1
Hi,

What is the difference between dielectric material and piezoelectric material ?
Even Wikipedia use exactly the same figure for illustration.

I googled,

Both of them is
- material between plates
- polarization, dipole of molecule

As far as I understood from google, When material is pressed between plate
- dielectric material do not create voltage if there is no external voltage.
- piezoelectric material create voltage without external voltage.

Am I correct ?
 
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  • #2
A piezoelectric material is dielectric usually. Not all dielectric materials are piezoelectric.
 
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Likes davenn
  • #3
Gunmo said:
As far as I understood from google, When material is pressed between plate
- dielectric material do not create voltage if there is no external voltage.
- piezoelectric material create voltage without external voltage.

Am I correct ?
Yes!
 
  • #4
A piezoelectric material generates a voltage when pressure is applied, and the material is strained (deformed). The reverse can also happen: if a voltage is applied across a piezoelectric material, it deforms. quartz is a very important example of a piezoelectric material.
 
  • #5
nasu said:
A piezoelectric material is dielectric usually. Not all dielectric materials are piezoelectric.
However a piezoelectric does not stop being a dielectric as well. The two proprties are not mutually exclusive.
 
  • #6
nasu said:
However a piezoelectric does not stop being a dielectric as well. The two proprties are not mutually exclusive.
I agree. In fact the piezoelectric property is the dependence of the dielectric polarization on stress.
 

1. What is the difference between dielectric and piezoelectric materials?

Dielectric materials are insulators that do not conduct electricity, while piezoelectric materials can generate an electric charge when subjected to mechanical stress.

2. How are dielectric and piezoelectric materials used in technology?

Dielectric materials are commonly used in capacitors and electronic devices to store and control electrical energy, while piezoelectric materials are used in sensors, transducers, and actuators for converting mechanical energy into electrical signals and vice versa.

3. Are dielectric and piezoelectric materials the same thing?

No, they are not the same. While both materials have the ability to store and manipulate electrical energy, they differ in their mechanisms of action and properties.

4. Why are piezoelectric materials important in medical imaging?

Piezoelectric materials are used in medical imaging devices such as ultrasound machines because they can convert mechanical pressure from sound waves into electrical signals, allowing for the creation of images of internal body structures.

5. Can a material be both dielectric and piezoelectric?

Yes, some materials, such as quartz and barium titanate, exhibit both dielectric and piezoelectric properties. These materials are often used in sensors and transducers for their dual capabilities.

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