Thermal-stability of the enhanced piezoelectric, energy storage and electrocaloric properties of a lead-free BCZT ceramic

• Published in: RSC advances 2021-03, Vol.11 (16), p.9459-9468
• Main Authors: Merselmiz, Soukaina, Hanani, Zouhair, Mezzane, Daoud, Razumnaya, Anna G, Amjoud, M'barek, Hajji, Lahoucine, Terenchuk, Svitlana, Ro i, Brigita, Luk'yanchuk, Igor A, Kutnjak, Zdravko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ceramics; Chemistry; Energy; Energy storage; Ferroelectric materials; Ferroelectricity; Flux density; Lead free; Perovskites; Phase transitions; Physics; Piezoelectricity; Properties (attributes); Raman spectroscopy; Room temperature; Solid state; Temperature dependence; Thermal stability
• ISSN: 2046-2069; 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/d0ra09707a

The lead-free Ba 0.85 Ca 0.15 Zr 0.10 Ti 0.90 O 3 (BCZT) relaxor ferroelectric ceramic has aroused much attention due to its enhanced piezoelectric, energy storage and electrocaloric properties. In this study, the BCZT ceramic was elaborated by the solid-state reaction route, and the temperature-dependence of the structural, electrical, piezoelectric, energy storage and electrocaloric properties was investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a pure perovskite phase, and the temperature-dependence of Raman spectroscopy, dielectric and ferroelectric measurements revealed the phase transitions in the BCZT ceramic. At room temperature, the strain and the large-signal piezoelectric coefficient reached a maximum of 0.062% and 234 pm V −1 , respectively. Furthermore, enhanced recovered energy density ( W rec = 62 mJ cm −3 ) and high-energy storage efficiency ( η ) of 72.9% at 130 °C were found. The BCZT ceramic demonstrated excellent thermal stability of the energy storage variation (ESV), less than ±5.5% in the temperature range of 30-100 °C compared to other lead-free ceramics. The electrocaloric response in the BCZT ceramic was explored via the indirect approach by using the Maxwell relation. Significant electrocaloric temperature change (Δ T ) of 0.57 K over a broad temperature span ( T span = 70 °C) and enhanced coefficient of performance (COP = 11) were obtained under 25 kV cm −1 . The obtained results make the BCZT ceramic a suitable eco-friendly material for energy storage and solid-state electrocaloric cooling devices. High-thermal stability of the recovered energy density and significant electrocaloric temperature change over a broad temperature span in a lead-free BCZT ceramic.