Piezoelectric ceramic is a functional ceramic (inorganic nonmetallic) material that is able to covert mechanical energy to electric energy .It is a material with piezoelectric effect.
Piezoelectric effect refers to a medium deforms under pressure and lead to the medium surface charging. This is called direct piezoelectric effect. Whereas, imposing driving electric field, the medium will have mechanical deformation, this is called reverse piezoelectric effect. This marvelous effect has been widely used in many fields that is closely related to peoples lives, to fulfill the function of energy conversion, sensing, driving and frequency controlling.
In terms of energy conversion, with the characteristic of piezoelectric that transforms mechanical energy to electric energy. It is able to produce piezoelectric igniters, mobile X-ray power supply, artillery shells detonated device. There is a flint made by piezoelectric that put in the electronic igniter, which strikes fire for over a million times. By the use of piezolectric, it converts the electric energy into ultrasonic vibration, and could be used to detect the position and shape of fish, making non-destructive inspection of metal. It could also be used in ultrasonic cleaning, ultrasonic medicine, ultrasonic cutter and wielding machine, which is able to process plastics and metal.