Abstract: Based on the gradient model that the properties of them obey a power law with respect to the thickness of piezoelectric functionally gradient materials, a modified factor representing the error between design and implement is introduced. A modified classical laminate theory involving piezoelectric coupling terms, by which the plate is divided into a certain number of sufficiently thin layers, is employed. Thus the material properties in any layer can approximately be regarded as uniform. An analytical study for a simply supported piezoelectric functionally gradient rectangular plate subjected to an e lectric field is only presented. The influences of microstructural parameters such as the component distribution factor, the thickness of each layer and the number of layer, on material performance are discussed. It has been found that the effects are significant in a certain range, and beyond the range the effects are neglectful. Those results can provide a certain basis for the optimization design of piezoelectric functionally gradient materials.

Key words: piezoelectric functionally gradient materials, microstructural parameter, material performance