Perspective on antiferroelectrics for energy storage and conversion applications

Abstract

As a close relative of ferroelectricity, antiferroelectricity has received a recent resurgence of interest driven by technological aspirations in energy-efficient applications, such as energy storage capacitors, solid-state cooling devices, explosive energy conversion, and displacement transducers. Though prolonged efforts in this area have led to certain progress and the discovery of more than 100 antiferroelectric materials over the last 70 years, some scientific and technological issues remain unresolved. Herein, we provide perspectives on the development of antiferroelectrics for energy storage and conversion applications, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the structural origin of antiferroelectricity and field-induced phase transitions, followed by design strategies for new lead-free antiferroelectrics. We also envision unprecedented challenges in the development of promising antiferroelectric materials that bridge materials design and real applications. Future research in these directions will open up new possibilities in resolving the mystery of antiferroelectricity, provide opportunities for comprehending structure-property correlation and developing antiferroelectric/ferroelectric theories, and suggest an approach to the manipulation of phase transitions for real-world applications.