An easy approach to achieving high energy density in relaxor ferroelectric ceramics

Attaur Rahman; Yisen Zheng; Aiwen Xie; Yi Zhang; Maqbool Ur Rehman; Muhammad Habib; Salman Ali Khan; Kashifur Rahman; Ao Tian; Xuewen Jiang; Xinchun Xie; Liqiang Liu; Xin Gao; Xiaokuo Er; Wenjie Liu; Ruzhong Zuo

doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.185156

An easy approach to achieving high energy density in relaxor ferroelectric ceramics

Attaur Rahman
, Yisen Zheng
, Aiwen Xie
, Yi Zhang
, Maqbool Ur Rehman
, Muhammad Habib
, Salman Ali Khan
, Kashifur Rahman
, Ao Tian
, Xuewen Jiang
, Xinchun Xie
, Liqiang Liu
, Xin Gao
, Xiaokuo Er
, Wenjie Liu
, Ruzhong Zuo^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The structure of the composition has a significant impact on the targeted expected properties. To achieve tailored expected properties, it is necessary to design the structure of the composition in such a scientific way to satisfy the optimal predicted properties. This study demonstrates a scientific approach to tailoring composition in dielectric ceramics to achieve high energy storage density. Attaining enhanced energy storage performance in such materials is feasible by optimizing key factors, including the development of narrow ferroelectric hysteresis loops with elevated saturation polarization (P_S) and achieving high breakdown strength (BDS). Notably, the formation of slim hysteresis loops with substantial (P_S) is closely linked to the coexistence of multiple nanoscale polymorphic phases (NPP) and local structural disorder, while a high BDS is primarily influenced by densely packed, fine-grained microstructures. In this study, heterovalent cations with a general formula of X(Y1,Y2)O₃ = Ca(Zn_0.5Zr_0.5)O₃ (CZZ) were introduced into the starting morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) (Bi_0.5Na_0.5)_0.7Sr_0.3TiO₃ - 0.06 BaTiO₃ (BNSBT) composition. The starting (MPB) composition already has high (P_s) and a relatively slim P-E loops. Consequently, linear-like narrow ferroelectric hysteresis loops with high (P_s) and high (BDS) were obtained due to the generation of (NPP) and local structural heterogeneity. Consequently, the optimum (BNSBT – 0.17CZZ) sample showed excellent overall energy storage characteristics, such as (W_rec = 5.146 J/cm³, η = 80.3 %, P_D = 426 MW/cm³, C_D = 3157 A/cm², W_D = 3.02 J/cm³, t_0.9 = 33 ns) respectively. In addition, good thermal stability in charge/discharge properties up to 140 °C with < 16 % variation was also recorded for the optimum sample. We expect that the composition design scheme reported in this work could be helpful for a scientist to utilize it for high pulse power technology applications.

Original language	English
Article number	185156
Journal	Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Volume	1048
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.185156
State	Published - 10 Dec 2025
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Aliovalent ions
Ceramic capacitors
Composition design strategy
Disorderedness and local random field
Polymorphic nano polar regions
Thermal stability

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Mechanics of Materials
Mechanical Engineering
Metals and Alloys
Materials Chemistry

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10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.185156

Cite this

@article{00b284efb5a54da0ade7c60f0fe2885d,

title = "An easy approach to achieving high energy density in relaxor ferroelectric ceramics",

abstract = "The structure of the composition has a significant impact on the targeted expected properties. To achieve tailored expected properties, it is necessary to design the structure of the composition in such a scientific way to satisfy the optimal predicted properties. This study demonstrates a scientific approach to tailoring composition in dielectric ceramics to achieve high energy storage density. Attaining enhanced energy storage performance in such materials is feasible by optimizing key factors, including the development of narrow ferroelectric hysteresis loops with elevated saturation polarization (PS) and achieving high breakdown strength (BDS). Notably, the formation of slim hysteresis loops with substantial (PS) is closely linked to the coexistence of multiple nanoscale polymorphic phases (NPP) and local structural disorder, while a high BDS is primarily influenced by densely packed, fine-grained microstructures. In this study, heterovalent cations with a general formula of X(Y1,Y2)O3 = Ca(Zn0.5Zr0.5)O3 (CZZ) were introduced into the starting morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.7Sr0.3TiO3 - 0.06 BaTiO3 (BNSBT) composition. The starting (MPB) composition already has high (Ps) and a relatively slim P-E loops. Consequently, linear-like narrow ferroelectric hysteresis loops with high (Ps) and high (BDS) were obtained due to the generation of (NPP) and local structural heterogeneity. Consequently, the optimum (BNSBT – 0.17CZZ) sample showed excellent overall energy storage characteristics, such as (Wrec = 5.146 J/cm3, η = 80.3 \%, PD = 426 MW/cm3, CD = 3157 A/cm2, WD = 3.02 J/cm3, t0.9 = 33 ns) respectively. In addition, good thermal stability in charge/discharge properties up to 140 °C with < 16 \% variation was also recorded for the optimum sample. We expect that the composition design scheme reported in this work could be helpful for a scientist to utilize it for high pulse power technology applications.",

keywords = "Aliovalent ions, Ceramic capacitors, Composition design strategy, Disorderedness and local random field, Polymorphic nano polar regions, Thermal stability",

author = "Attaur Rahman and Yisen Zheng and Aiwen Xie and Yi Zhang and Rehman, \{Maqbool Ur\} and Muhammad Habib and Khan, \{Salman Ali\} and Kashifur Rahman and Ao Tian and Xuewen Jiang and Xinchun Xie and Liqiang Liu and Xin Gao and Xiaokuo Er and Wenjie Liu and Ruzhong Zuo",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.185156",

language = "English",

volume = "1048",

journal = "Journal of Alloys and Compounds",

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T1 - An easy approach to achieving high energy density in relaxor ferroelectric ceramics

AU - Rahman, Attaur

AU - Zheng, Yisen

AU - Xie, Aiwen

AU - Zhang, Yi

AU - Rehman, Maqbool Ur

AU - Habib, Muhammad

AU - Khan, Salman Ali

AU - Rahman, Kashifur

AU - Tian, Ao

AU - Jiang, Xuewen

AU - Xie, Xinchun

AU - Liu, Liqiang

AU - Gao, Xin

AU - Er, Xiaokuo

AU - Liu, Wenjie

AU - Zuo, Ruzhong

PY - 2025/12/10

Y1 - 2025/12/10

N2 - The structure of the composition has a significant impact on the targeted expected properties. To achieve tailored expected properties, it is necessary to design the structure of the composition in such a scientific way to satisfy the optimal predicted properties. This study demonstrates a scientific approach to tailoring composition in dielectric ceramics to achieve high energy storage density. Attaining enhanced energy storage performance in such materials is feasible by optimizing key factors, including the development of narrow ferroelectric hysteresis loops with elevated saturation polarization (PS) and achieving high breakdown strength (BDS). Notably, the formation of slim hysteresis loops with substantial (PS) is closely linked to the coexistence of multiple nanoscale polymorphic phases (NPP) and local structural disorder, while a high BDS is primarily influenced by densely packed, fine-grained microstructures. In this study, heterovalent cations with a general formula of X(Y1,Y2)O3 = Ca(Zn0.5Zr0.5)O3 (CZZ) were introduced into the starting morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.7Sr0.3TiO3 - 0.06 BaTiO3 (BNSBT) composition. The starting (MPB) composition already has high (Ps) and a relatively slim P-E loops. Consequently, linear-like narrow ferroelectric hysteresis loops with high (Ps) and high (BDS) were obtained due to the generation of (NPP) and local structural heterogeneity. Consequently, the optimum (BNSBT – 0.17CZZ) sample showed excellent overall energy storage characteristics, such as (Wrec = 5.146 J/cm3, η = 80.3 %, PD = 426 MW/cm3, CD = 3157 A/cm2, WD = 3.02 J/cm3, t0.9 = 33 ns) respectively. In addition, good thermal stability in charge/discharge properties up to 140 °C with < 16 % variation was also recorded for the optimum sample. We expect that the composition design scheme reported in this work could be helpful for a scientist to utilize it for high pulse power technology applications.

AB - The structure of the composition has a significant impact on the targeted expected properties. To achieve tailored expected properties, it is necessary to design the structure of the composition in such a scientific way to satisfy the optimal predicted properties. This study demonstrates a scientific approach to tailoring composition in dielectric ceramics to achieve high energy storage density. Attaining enhanced energy storage performance in such materials is feasible by optimizing key factors, including the development of narrow ferroelectric hysteresis loops with elevated saturation polarization (PS) and achieving high breakdown strength (BDS). Notably, the formation of slim hysteresis loops with substantial (PS) is closely linked to the coexistence of multiple nanoscale polymorphic phases (NPP) and local structural disorder, while a high BDS is primarily influenced by densely packed, fine-grained microstructures. In this study, heterovalent cations with a general formula of X(Y1,Y2)O3 = Ca(Zn0.5Zr0.5)O3 (CZZ) were introduced into the starting morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.7Sr0.3TiO3 - 0.06 BaTiO3 (BNSBT) composition. The starting (MPB) composition already has high (Ps) and a relatively slim P-E loops. Consequently, linear-like narrow ferroelectric hysteresis loops with high (Ps) and high (BDS) were obtained due to the generation of (NPP) and local structural heterogeneity. Consequently, the optimum (BNSBT – 0.17CZZ) sample showed excellent overall energy storage characteristics, such as (Wrec = 5.146 J/cm3, η = 80.3 %, PD = 426 MW/cm3, CD = 3157 A/cm2, WD = 3.02 J/cm3, t0.9 = 33 ns) respectively. In addition, good thermal stability in charge/discharge properties up to 140 °C with < 16 % variation was also recorded for the optimum sample. We expect that the composition design scheme reported in this work could be helpful for a scientist to utilize it for high pulse power technology applications.

KW - Aliovalent ions

KW - Ceramic capacitors

KW - Composition design strategy

KW - Disorderedness and local random field

KW - Polymorphic nano polar regions

KW - Thermal stability

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105022184821

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DO - 10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.185156

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105022184821

SN - 0925-8388

VL - 1048

JO - Journal of Alloys and Compounds

JF - Journal of Alloys and Compounds

M1 - 185156

ER -

An easy approach to achieving high energy density in relaxor ferroelectric ceramics

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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