Lead-based antiferroelectrics revisited for high energy density capacitors and large strain actuators

Abstract

Lead zirconate stannate titanate (PZST) ceramics with the generic composition of Pb1-0.5xNbx[(ZrySn1-y)1-zTiz]1-xO3 with x representing Nb content (x = 0 or 0.02), y representing Zr:Sn ratio (y = 0.57 or 0.60), and z representing Ti content (z = 0.06 or 0.08), and lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) ceramics with the general composition of Pb1-xLax(ZryTi1−y)1−x/4O3 with x = 0.050 − 0.120 were synthesized using solid state reaction method and sintering. The energy density and field induced strain behavior of these compositions were investigated for capacitor and actuator applications, respectively. The focus of the study was to evaluate and discuss the change in the polar state of these ceramics from normal ferroelectric to antiferroelectric to relaxor antiferroelectric to linear dielectric with compositional modification. The highest releasable energy density (1.053 J/cm3) was obtained from the antiferroelectric Pb[(Zr0.60Sn0.40)0.94Ti0.06]O3 composition among the PZST compositions that were investigated, but the efficiencies were generally low (max. 60%) due to the large hysteresis that was observed in these compositions. The highest field induced strain level of 0.26% was also measured in the same composition. In the case of PLZT compositions, the highest releasable energy density values (0.313 J/cm3) with much higher efficiencies (76%) and highest field induced strain levels (0.23%) were obtained from the PLZT compositions with relaxor antiferroelectric character.