2022 Volume 130 Issue 11 Pages 875-881
Lead-free (0.955 − x)NaNbO3–0.045La(Nb1/3Mg2/3)O3–xCaZrO3 ceramics were prepared by the conventional method, the influences of CaZrO3 content on dielectric properties, energy storage performance and electrocaloric effect (ECE) were studied. The introduction of CaZrO3 could efficaciously reduce sintering temperature from 1270 to 1230 °C with stabilized anti-ferroelectric (AFE) provskite structure. Obvious thermal hysteresis was observed during phase transition, while the phase transition temperature was reduced from 233 to 177 °C. And the room temperature dielectric properties were also improved with enhanced dielectric constant and suppressed dielectric loss. As a result, the optimum recoverable energy storage density of 1.90 J/cm3 with a noteworthy efficiency of 84.5 % was obtained under 21.3 kV/mm when x = 1.0 %, which was resulted from the AFE-liked hysteresis loops. Moreover, it also presented attractive ECE aspect with positive ECE and negative ECE due to a mixed AFE and ferroelectric phase structure. This study contributes to the development of NaNbO3-based ceramics in energy storage and solid refrigeration areas.