Large electrostrictive effect in (Ba1-xGd2x/3)Zr0.3Ti0.7O3 relaxor towards moderate field actuator and energy storage applications

摘要

The need of lead-free high performance ceramics with large electrostrictive effect, minimum hysteresis loss and energy storage ability at room temperature has become indispensable. At room temperature one of the key challenges in ceramic materials is to enhance the electrostrictive and energy storage properties simultaneously. In this regards, lead-free gadolinium modified barium zirconate titanate (Ba1-xGd2x/3)(Zr0.3Ti0.7)O-3 (x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10) ceramic was experimentally investigated to gain the competent electromechanical parameters near room temperature. Dielectric measurements exhibit a diffuse type of phase transition of relaxor phenomena and slim hysteresis loop with low remnant polarization and low hysteresis loss were observed. A moderate electric field of 30 kV/cm, recoverable energy and storage efficiency increases with Gd content. Strain-electric field hysteresis curves such as S-E, S-E 2, and S-P 2 profiles indicate improved electrostrictive characteristic of the ceramics. Results show that a maximum strain S similar to 0.083 with large electrostrictive coefficient Q(11) similar to 0.054 m(4)/C-2 and M-11 similar to 0.142 x 10(-16) m(2)/V-2 were obtained for x = 0.02 based BGdZT composition near relaxor-paraelectric phase boundary. The behavior of electrostrictive effect and energy storage efficiency suggested new possibilities of high precision lead-free ceramic actuator in a moderate field. Published by AIP Publishing.