Phenomenon · phenomenon:flexoelectric-effect
Flexoelectric effect
A strain gradient, not strain itself, polarises any dielectric, including centrosymmetric ones. Weak in bulk, large at the nanoscale where gradients are steep.
Atlas record: 4 claims reference this phenomenon — 3 established and 1 demonstrated.
Explorerelations · matrix context · routes · sources · cite
conditions: solid · dielectric required
4claims17enumerated routes1routes with complete-composition evidence6candidate routes not searched3cited sources
Relations
drives · 1
- the required strain gradient may be generated mechanically (e.g. bending) or by spatially non-uniform thermal expansion; uniform strain alone does not produce bulk flexoelectric polarization in a centrosymmetric dielectric
- coefficients are small in bulk (nC/m) and useful only at the nanoscale or in thin films
P = μ · ∇ε · flexoelectric coefficient μ [C/m]
produces · 1
member of · 1
implemented by · 1
Matrix context
D = disequilibrium row · C = coupling family column. A cell reads the state of the atlas for that pair.
Enumerated routes through this · 17
- Flexoelectric vibration harvester5/5 est · demonstrated
- Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work3/3 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Thermal-expansion flexoelectric thermopolarization5/5 est · candidate
- Pressure gradient → Elastic deformation → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work5/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Mechanical vibration → Resonant vibration → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work5/5 est · candidate
- Temperature gradient → Marangoni effect → Pressure gradient → Elastic deformation → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work6/7 est · weakly supported
- Chemical potential difference → Combustion → Temperature gradient → Thermal expansion → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work7/7 est · candidate
- Electric potential difference → Peltier effect → Temperature gradient → Thermal expansion → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work7/7 est · same energy form
- Electric potential difference → Ettingshausen effect → Temperature gradient → Thermal expansion → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work7/7 est · same energy form
- Bulk fluid flow → Flow-induced vibration → Mechanical vibration → Resonant vibration → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work7/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Bulk fluid flow → Flow-induced vibration → Mechanical vibration → Elastic deformation → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work7/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Bulk fluid flow → Ocean wave motion → Pressure gradient → Elastic deformation → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work7/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Incident radiation flux → Photothermal absorption → Temperature gradient → Thermal expansion → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work7/7 est · candidate
- Radiative imbalance with the sky → Radiative sky cooling → Temperature gradient → Thermal expansion → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work7/7 est · candidate
- Surface energy difference → Marangoni effect → Pressure gradient → Elastic deformation → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work6/7 est · weakly supported
- Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Thermal expansion → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work7/7 est · candidate
- Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fusion → Temperature gradient → Thermal expansion → Mechanical stress or strain → Flexoelectric effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work5/7 est · candidate
Cited sources · 3
- [1]P. Zubko, G. Catalan, A. K. Tagantsev. Flexoelectric effect in solids (2013)
- [2]S. Iwakiri, Y. Miyata, T. Mori. Observation of universal thermopolarization effect in insulators (2026)
- [3]S. Yang et al.. Performance enhancement of flexoelectric energy harvester by structural design (2025)
Cite this entity
Physical Transformation Atlas (2026). entity phenomenon:flexoelectric-effect: Flexoelectric effect. Dataset revision rbfbfcbb70e57 (hash of the canonical data). https://physical-transformation-atlas.wldud5192.workers.dev/phenomenon/flexoelectric-effect
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