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Enhanced electrocaloric effect in lead-free ferroelectric potassium–sodium niobate ceramics benefiting from phase boundary design

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Abstract

The electrocaloric effect (ECE) refrigeration is environment-friendly and is of high efficiency for replacing traditional compression refrigeration. Herein, 0.98(K0.48Na0.535)(1−x)Lix(Nb0.99Sb0.01) O3–0.02BaZrO3 (xLi) ceramics are fabricated by a solid-state method, and the microstructure, dielectric properties, and ECE are investigated in detail. A large ECE is achieved in xLi ceramics near ambient temperature benefiting from phase boundary design by appropriate composition engineering. An indirect adiabatic temperature change (ΔT) of xLi ceramics with x = 0.03, 0.05, and 0.07 are 0.26 K, 0.29 K, and 0.36 K under an electric field of 60 kV cm–1, respectively. A direct ΔT of 0.226 K is obtained at 70 °C under 50 kV cm−1 in 0.07Li ceramic. In addition, the temperature span (Tspan) is up to 50 K in 0.07Li ceramic due to broad orthorhombic–tetragonal phase transition peak. This work not only provides an effective way to develop an excellent performance electrocaloric material but also expands the application area of potassium–sodium niobate ceramics in solid-state refrigeration.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No. 52102136), the Doctoral Program for Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Grant No. 2020BS05005), the Major Program for Science and Technology of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Grant No. 2019ZD12), and the Support Program for “Grassland Talents” Innovation Team of Inner Mongolia (Rare Earth Modified Lead-free Ferroelectric Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors Innovative Talent Team).

Funding

The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 52102136, Ye Zhao, the Doctoral Program for Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,No. 2020BS05005,Ye Zhao, the Major Program for Science and Technology of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, No. 2019ZD12, Xihong Hao, and the Support Program for “Grassland Talents” Innovation Team of Inner Mongolia, Xihong Hao.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Ferroelectric-Related New Energy Materials and Devices, School of Materials and Metallurgy, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, 014010, China

    Yanyu Wang, Lipeng Zhu, Ye Zhao, Yong Li & Xihong Hao

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  1. Yanyu Wang
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  3. Ye Zhao
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Contributions

YW performed the experiment and manuscript preparation. YZ contributed significantly to analysis and manuscript preparation. LZ performed the experiment. YL and XH helped perform the analysis with constructive discussions.

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Correspondence to Ye Zhao or Xihong Hao.

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Wang, Y., Zhu, L., Zhao, Y. et al. Enhanced electrocaloric effect in lead-free ferroelectric potassium–sodium niobate ceramics benefiting from phase boundary design. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 17322–17330 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-08609-8

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