Dependence of dielectric and energy storage properties on sintering temperature in lead lanthanum zirconate titanate antiferroelectric ceramics

Abstract

The effect of sintering temperature on the phase evolution, microstructures, dielectric properties and energy-storage properties of lead lanthanum zirconate titanate antiferroelectric ceramics has been investigated. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that a gradual increase in grain size with increasing sintering temperature. The dielectric measurements revealed that the variation of sintering temperature did not lead to a systematic trend. A correlation between the dielectric properties and microstructures was established. The room temperature dielectric properties demonstrated that both the dielectric constant and saturation polarization increased with increasing sintering temperature up to 1180 °C and then slightly decreased. Furthermore, as for the sintering temperature dependence of energy storage properties, it has shown that with the increase of sintering temperature, both the charged density and discharged density first increased and then decreased. There is an intermediate optimum sintering temperature range (1180 ∼ 1200 °C) in which the samples have better energy storage performance. The dependence of released energy and power densities on the sintering temperature was also investigated. These charge-discharge measurement results were consistent with the calculated values obtained from polarization-electric field hysteresis loops.