Superior energy storage efficiency through tailoring relaxor behavior and band energy gap in KNN-based ferroelectric ceramic capacitors

With the increasing demand of high-power and pulsed power electronic devices,environmental-friendly potassium sodium niobate((Na_(0.5)K_(0.5))NbO_(3),KNN)ceramic-based capacitors have attracted much attention in recent years owning to the boosted energy storage density(W_(rec)).Nevertheless,the dielectric loss also increases as the external electric field increases,which will generate much dissipated energy and raise the temperature of ceramic capacitors.Thus,an effective strategy is proposed to enhance the energy storage efficiency(η)via tailoring relaxor behavior and bad gap energy in the ferroelectric 0.9(Na_(0.5)K_(0.5))-NbO_(3)-0.1Bi(Zn_(2/3)(Nb_(x)Ta_(1−x))1/3)O_(3) ceramics.On the one hand,the more diverse ions in the B-sites owing to introducing the Ta could further disturb the long-range ferroelectric polar order to form the short−range polar nanoregions(PNRs),resulting in the highη.On the other hand,the introduction of Ta ions could boost the intrinsic band energy gap and thus improve the Eb.As a result,high Wrec of 3.29 J/cm^(3) and ultrahighηof 90.1%at the high external electric field of 310 kV/cm are achieved in x=0.5 sample.These results reveal that the KNN-based ceramics are promising lead-free candidate for high-power electronic devices.

Optimizing the grain size and grain boundary morphology of (K,Na) NbO_(3)-based ceramics: Paving the way for ultrahigh energy storage capacitors

Relaxor dielectric ceramic capacitors are very attractive for high-power energy storage.However,the low breakdown strength severely restricts improvements to the energy storage density and practical application.Here,a strategy of designing small grain sizes and abundant amorphous grain boundaries is proposed to improve the energy storage properties under the guidance of phase field theory.0.925(K_(0.5)Na_(0.5))NbO_(3)-e0.075Bi(Zn_(2/3)(Ta_(0.5)Nb_(0.5))1/3)O_(3)(KNNe-BZTN)relaxor ferroelectric ceramic is taken as an example to verify our strategy.The grain sizes and grain boundaries of the KNNeBZTN ceramics are carefully controlled by the high-energy ball milling method and twoestep sintering strategy.Impedance analysis and diffusion reflectance spectra demonstrate that KNNeBZTN ceramics with a small grain size and abundant amorphous grain boundary exhibit a lower charge carrier concentration and higher band gap.As a consequence,the breakdown electric field of KNNeBZTN ceramics increases from 222 kV/cm to 317 kV/cm when the grain size is decreased from 410 nm to 200 nm,accompanied by a slightly degraded maximum polarization.KNNeBZTN ceramics with an average grain size of~250 nm and abundant amorphous grain boundaries exhibit optimum energy storage properties with a high recoverable energy density of 4.02 J/cm^(3) and a high energy efficiency of 87.4%.This successful local structural design opens up a new paradigm to improve the energy storage performance of other dielectric ceramic capacitors for electrical energy storage.

Achieving excellent energy storage reliability and endurance via mechanical performance optimization strategy in engineered ceramics with core-shell grain structure

Although dielectric ceramic capacitors possess attractive properties for high-power energy storage,their pronounced electrostriction effect and high brittleness are conducive to easy initiation and propagation of cracks that significantly deteriorate electrical reliability and lifetime of capacitors in practical applications.Herein,a new strategy for designing relaxor ferroelectric ceramics with K_(0.5)Na_(0.5)NbO_(3)-core/SiO_(2)-shell structured grains was proposed to simultaneously reduce the electric-field-induced strain and enhance the mechanical strength of the ceramics.The simulation and experiment declared that the bending strength and compression strength of the core-shell structured ceramic were shown to increase by more than 50% over those of the uncoated sample.Meanwhile,the electric-field-induced strain was reduced by almost half after adding the SiO_(2) coating.The suppressed electrical deformation and enhanced mechanical strength could alleviate the probability of generation of cracks and prevent their propagation,thus remarkably improving breakdown strength and fatigue endurance of the ceramics.As a result,an ultra-high breakdown strength of 425 kV cm^(-1) and excellent recoverable energy storage density(Wrec~4.64 J cm^(-3))were achieved in the core-shell structured sample.More importantly,the unique structure could enhance the cycling stability of the ceramic(Wrec variation<±2% after 105 cycles).Thus,mechanical performance optimization via grain structure engineering offers a new paradigm for improving electrical breakdown strength and fatigue endurance of dielectric ceramic capacitors.