The project will be to produce bioinspired lead-free piezoelectric ceramics with increased toughness and piezoelectric performances by controlling their microstructure at multiple length scales. In addition to the fundamental knowledge generated on hierarchical reinforcement in brittle materials, increasing the toughness of piezoceramics through microstructure control has the potential to increase their strength, energy harvesting capability, reliability, and durability while being environmentally friendly. This microstructure could be done by producing BNT platelets and assembling them into dense and textured ceramics. This project will require the use of powder synthesis & processing, mechanical and crystallographic characterization as well as piezoelectric measurements.