Electrical properties of Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 ceramics with TiO2 addition

The crystal structure, microstructure, dielectric properties and energy storage properties of Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 (BCZT) ceramics with various TiO2 (0%, 1%, 8%, 40%, 50%, 60%) addition ceramics were discussed. Although the perovskite structure remained in samples with low content of TiO2, the secondary phase Ba2Ti5.5O13 appeared in samples with high TiO2 content. According to SEM results, the addition of TiO2 resulted in a significant decrease in the average grain size. Wtih the addition of TiO2, the phase transition temperature, corresponding to Curie temperature (Tc) of BCZT ceramics shifts to lower temperature. Compared with the pure BCZT ceramic, the higher impedance and slimmer hysteresis loops were realized in ceramics with high TiO2 content. The relatively large energy storage density (Wrec ~0.52 J/cm3) together with energy storage efficiency (η ~74.84%) were achieved in ceramic with 40% TiO2 content. When the contentration of TiO2 further increases, the energy storage efficiency increased, but the energy storage density declined. The present research provides a method to improve the energy storage performance of BCZT ceramics.