Chiral Piezoelectric Inorganic and Inorganic Hybrid Nanomaterials for Flexible Electronics and Optoelectronic Applications

Abstract Chiral piezoelectric nanomaterials exploit nanoscale spatial asymmetry and the resulting multifield coupling to expand the functionality of piezoelectric systems. Their chiral structures can break lattice inversion symmetry in a controllable manner, thereby introducing piezoelectricity while also enabling chiral optical activity and spin polarization. This combination of properties offers promising strategies to address the limitations of conventional inorganic piezoelectrics in enantiomer recognition and multimodal sensing. Experimental studies are still at an early stage, and practical devices remain under exploration. Key challenges such as enhancing piezoelectric performance and achieving precise structural control require further investigation. This paper reviews recent progress on inorganic and hybrid chiral piezoelectric nanomaterials. It categorizes three material systems: geometrically chiral structures, those with intrinsic lattice chirality, and chirality-induced lattice distortion composites. Their mechanism-driven design, performance characteristics, and current applications in piezoelectric energy harvesting, flexible sensing, and circularly polarized light detection are discussed. Finally, we outline the main challenges and future directions, aiming to provide an accessible knowledge framework for readers and to highlight potential research opportunities.