Achieving Superior Energy Storage Performance in PLZST Ceramics via Relaxor Ferroelectric Composite Strategy

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid State Physics
• Dielectric Materials

Background:

• Dielectric capacitors are crucial for high-power electronics, demanding high energy density and temperature stability.
• Antiferroelectric (AFE) materials offer high polarization but are limited by high phase transition electric fields (E AFE-FE) exceeding breakdown strength.
• Current limitations restrict the practical energy storage capability of AFE materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and investigate an antiferroelectric/relaxor ferroelectric composite strategy.
• To reduce the E AFE-FE by tuning the phase transition energy barrier.
• To enhance field-induced polarization switching for improved energy storage.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Pb0.94La0.04(Zr0.84Sn0.15Ti0.01)O3/2 wt % 0.8Ba(Zr0.1Ti0.9)O3-0.2 Bi(Zn2/3Ta1/3)O3 (PLZST/2BZT) composite ceramics.
• Characterization of energy storage density (Wrec) and efficiency (η) under high electric fields.
• Evaluation of temperature stability of Wrec and η over a wide temperature range (-20 to 140 °C).

Main Results:

• Achieved a high recoverable energy storage density (Wrec) of 9.3 J cm⁻³ and energy storage efficiency (η) of 85% at 325 kV cm⁻¹.
• Demonstrated exceptional temperature stability, maintaining Wrec > 6.5 J cm⁻³ and η > 81% from -20 to 140 °C.
• Attributed performance to reduced phase transition energy barrier and enhanced interfacial polarization.

Conclusions:

• The AFE/relaxor ferroelectric composite strategy effectively reduces the phase transition electric field.
• This approach significantly enhances energy storage density and efficiency in dielectric ceramics.
• The developed PLZST/2BZT ceramics show promise for advanced dielectric materials and high-power electronic devices.