Relaxor ferroelectric single crystals have triggered revolution in electromechanical systems due to their superior piezoelectric properties. Here the results are reported on experimental studies of energy harvested from (1-y-x)Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–(y)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–(x)PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT) crystals under high strain rate loading. Precise control of ferroelectric properties through composition, size and crystallographic orientation of domains made it possible to identify single crystals that release up to three times more electric charge density than that produced by PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT 52/48) and PbZr0.95Ti0.05O3 (PZT 95/5) ferroelectric ceramics under identical loading conditions. The obtained results indicate that PIN-PMN-PT crystals became completely depolarized under 3.9 GPa compression. It was found that the energy density generated in the crystals during depolarization in the high voltage mode is four times higher than that for PZT 52/48 and 95/5. The obtained results promise new single crystal applications in ultrahigh-power transducers that are capable of producing hundreds kilovolt pulses and gigawatt-peak power microwave radiation.

A new type of energy storage devices utilizing multilayer Pb(Zr0.95Ti0.05)0.98Nb0.02O3 films is studied experimentally and numerically. To release the stored energy, the multilayer ferroelectric structures are subjected to adiabatic compression perpendicular to the polarization direction. Obtained results indicate that electrical interference between layers (10–120 layers) during stress wave transit through the structures has an effect on the generated current waveforms, but no impact on the released electric charge. The multilayer films undergo a pressure‐induced phase transition to antiferroelectric phase at 1.7 GPa adiabatic compression and become completely depolarized, releasing surface screening charge with density equal to their remnant polarization. An energy density of 3 J cm−3 is successfully achieved with giant power density on the order of 2 MW cm−3, which is four orders of magnitude higher than that of any other type of energy storage device. The outputs of multilayer structures can be precisely controlled by the parameters of the ferroelectric layer and the number of layers. Multilayer film modules with a volume of 0.7 cm3 are capable of producing 2.4 kA current, not achievable in electrochemical capacitors or batteries, which will greatly enhance the miniaturization and integration requirements for emerging high‐power applications.

Complete stress-induced depolarization of relaxor ferroelectric crystals Complete stress-induced depolarization of relaxor ferroelectric crystals without Complete stress-induced depolarization of relaxor ferroelectric crystals without transition through a non-polar phase transition through a non-polar phase

Ferroelectric (FE) films are widely used in electronic devices and low-power FE transducers. There is significant interest in expanding the usage of FE films to ultrahigh-power systems. The results are reported herein on experimental investigations of stress-induced depolarization of single-layer PbZr0.95Ti0.05O3 doped 2% Nb (PZT 95/5) poled FE films subjected to uniaxial adiabatic compression perpendicular and antiparallel to the direction of polarization. It was found that at a stress of 2.4 GPa, the 32-μm-thick films underwent a pressure induced transition to a nonpolar antiferroelectric phase and became completely depolarized in both modes of high strain rate loading. The experimental results indicate that the behavior of stress-induced current generated by longitudinally compressed films is more complicated than under transverse stress. This complex behavior may be caused by the short stress wave transit distance through the film, that is, comparable with the thickness of the stress wave front. The important result is that the specific electric charge released by PZT 95/5 films under stress, 104 μC/cm3, is more than an order of magnitude higher than that released by bulk PZT 95/5 ceramic specimens. It was experimentally demonstrated that transversely compressed miniature PZT 95/5 film specimens with volume less than 1 cm3 are capable of producing pulses of hundreds of amperes of current. This study promises FE film applications in ultrahigh-power systems.

The search for ferroelectric materials capable of producing high electric charge and power densities is important for developing a new generation of ultrahigh-power-density ferroelectric energy storage devices and autonomous megawatt power supplies.