High energy storage performance of lead‐free Nb‐modified (Bi0.2Na0.2Ca0.2Ba0.2Sr0.2)TiO3 high‐entropy ceramics

Abstract

AbstractOwing to the intrinsic chemical disorder of microscopic composition, perovskite high‐entropy ceramics exhibit dielectric relaxation behaviors and are favorable for energy storage performance. In this work, (Bi0.2Na0.2Ca0.2Ba0.2Sr0.2)(Ti1−xNbx)O3 (BNCBST‐xNb, 0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.25) ceramics were prepared using a hydrothermal method. The results indicate that Nb doping into BNCBST induces lattice expansion and deepens dielectric relaxation. Moreover, the BNCBST‐xNb ceramics exhibit a great enhancement of electrical breakdown strength (Eb) with Nb content, which results from the reduction of grain size, the increase of resistivity, the decrease of oxygen vacancies, and the enlargement of band gap width. Consequently, the BNCBST‐0.15Nb system presents an outstanding Eb of 497 kV/cm with excellent recoverable energy density (Wrec = 3.85 J/cm3) and efficiency (η = 87.7%), accompanying by the wide temperature stability (Wrec and η vary within ± 9.8% and ± 1.4% at 40–100°C) and fast discharge rate (t0.9 = 88 ns). The significant improvement of Eb and energy storage properties suggest that our research offers an effective strategy for developing lead‐free energy storage ceramics.