Lead-free barium zirconate-titanate/barium calcium-titanate, [(BaZr0.2Ti0.80)O3]1−x
–[(Ba0.70Ca0.30)TiO3]
x
(x = 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) (BZT–BCT) ceramics with high dielectric constant, low dielectric loss and moderate electric breakdown field were prepared by the sol–gel synthesis technique. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed tetragonal crystal structure and this was further confirmed by Raman spectra. Well-behaved ferroelectric hysteresis loops and moderate polarizations (spontaneous polarization, P
s ∼ 3–6 µC cm−2) were obtained in these BZT–BCT ceramics. Frequency-dependent dielectric spectra confirmed that ferroelectric diffuse phase transition (DPT) exists near room temperature. Scanning electron microscope images revealed monolithic grain growth in samples sintered at 1280 °C. 1000/ε versus (T) plots revealed ferroelectric DPT behaviour with estimated γ values of ∼1.52, 1.51 and 1.88, respectively, for the studied BZT–BCT compositions. All three compositions showed packing-limited breakdown fields of ∼47–73 kV cm−1 with an energy density of 0.05–0.6 J cm−3 for thick ceramics (>1 mm). Therefore these compositions might be useful in Y5V-type capacitor applications.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.