Enhanced energy storage efficiency of lead lutetium niobate ceramics via Ba/La co-doping strategy

Abstract

Dielectric ceramics have emerged as promising candidate materials for pulse capacitor system due to their exceptional thermal stability, mechanical properties, and energy storage capabilities. However, the potential of antiferroelectric ceramics based on Pb(Lu_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃ in pulse-power systems is hindered by their high phase transition switching field and low energy storage efficiency. Herein, to address these limitations, we propose a co-doping strategy involving Ba²⁺ and La³⁺ ions to enhance the energy storage efficiency while simultaneously preserving a high energy storage density. Through the co-doping approach, we observed remarkable improvements in the performance of the ceramics. In comparison to Ba²⁺-doped samples, the co-doped ceramics exhibit a 33 % increase in energy storage density and a 51 % increase in efficiency. Our findings offer valuable insights into enhancing the energy storage characteristics of other dielectric materials.