Mechanically adaptive composites through piezoelectricity

Continuous technological advances resulted in an ever-growing need for novel materials. In conventional engineering materials, cyclic loadings weaken materials by initiating cracks or degrading materials, which leads to premature failure. Contrarily, natural materials such as bones address the issue elegantly. Stress is utilized as a stimulus for material synthesis to strengthen the material. The salient difference between these natural material systems and their synthetic counterparts is their adaptive behavior. Adaptive materials can self-tune their properties in response to stimuli from the environment. Recently, growing attention has been directed towards adaptive materials owing to their autonomous “smart” behavior and multifunctionality. The goal of this article is to discuss the recent efforts in adaptive materials with a focus on mechanically adaptive materials based on piezoelectricity. The rationale behind these material systems is explained as well as an overview of different material systems and their implications. Lastly, we will discuss the challenges to overcome and prospects for future studies.