Ultrahigh energy storage in multilayer BiFeO 3 –BaTiO 3 –NaTaO 3 relaxor ferroelectric ceramics

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Materials for energy and sustainability, 2024-11, Vol.12 (44), p.30642-30654
• Main Authors: Montecillo, Rhys, Chien, R. R., Chen, Cheng-Sao, Wu, Po-Hsien, Tu, Chi-Shun, Feng, Kuei-Chih
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2050-7488; 2050-7496
• DOI: 10.1039/D4TA04324C

The rising challenge of high-density electric energy storage has accelerated the research of electric energy-storage capacitors due to their high power density and voltage resistance, excellent temperature stability, and environmental friendliness. However, lead-free ferroelectric capacitors generally have a low discharge energy density. This study used a multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) design with active ceramic layers of relaxor ferroelectric NaTaO 3 -modified BiFeO 3 –BaTiO 3 co-sintered with 90Ag/10Pd interlayer electrodes. Superb recoverable energy densities of W rec ∼2.8 J cm −3 with an energy efficiency of η ∼73% at 400 kV cm −1 and W rec ∼4.5 J cm −3 with an energy efficiency of η ∼77% at 450 kV cm −1 were attained, respectively, in 9-active-ceramic-layer and 24-active-ceramic-layer MLCCs. Excellent thermal stability and fatigue resistance of energy storage capability were achieved up to 180 °C and exceeding 1 × 10 4 cycles. The ultrahigh energy-storage properties can be linked to the synergistic effects of multiple local lattice distortions, nanoscale structures, and interfacial E fields at grain boundaries. This report demonstrates an efficient scheme to utilize ternary BiFeO 3 –BaTiO 3 -based ceramics via the MLCC technology for ultrahigh-energy-density electrostatic energy storage.