Enhanced energy-storage density in (Pb0.98La0.02)(Zr0.45-xSn0.55Hfx)0.995O3 antiferroelectric ceramics

Antiferroelectric ceramics with unique characteristics of electric-field-induced antiferroelectric to ferroelectric phase transitions and ultra -fast charging-discharging rate, which are demanded in high pulse power devices. In this work, (Pb0.98La0.02)(Zr0.45-xSn0.55Hfx)(0.995)O-3 (PLZSH) antiferroelectric ceramics with x = 0 similar to 0.20 were prepared via a conventional solid -state reaction approach. Incommensurate modulation structure with a 1/ n<110> superlattice was observed in AFE at room temperature, which was associated with the unique domain boundaries, contributing the obvious declined AFE-FE phase transition electric field as well as the enhanced energy storage density. It was also observed that the maximum recoverable energy storage density (Wrec) increases from 2.93 J/cm3 (x = 0) to 5.72 J/cm(3) (x = 0.15), and the corresponding energy-storage efficiency uprises from 82.4 % to 87.8 % with the increasing x at 280 kV/cm. The superior energy density and efficiency indicate that the obtained PLZSH antiferroelectric ceramics are promising for practical applications in pulse power devices.