Large Electrocaloric Effect in Relaxor Ferroelectric and Antiferroelectric Lanthanum Doped Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics

• DOI: 10.1038/srep45335
• Publication Date: 2017-03-27T09:44:16Z
• Authors: Biao Lu; Peilian Li; Zhenhua Tang; Yingbang Yao; Xingsen Gao; Wolfgang Kleemann; Sheng-Guo Lu
• Keywords: Antiferroelectricity; Electrocaloric Effect; Phase boundary; Phenomenological model

Both relaxor ferroelectric and antiferroelectric materials can individually demonstrate large electrocaloric effects (ECE). However, in order to further enhance the ECE it is crucial find a material system, which exhibit simultaneously both properties, or easily convert from one into another terms of compositional tailoring. Here we report on structure readily change vice versa. To this end Pb0.89La0.11(Zr0.7Ti0.3)0.9725O3 Pb0.93La0.07(Zr0.82Ti0.18)0.9825O3 ceramics were designed near antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase boundary line La2O3-PbZrO3-PbTiO3 diagram. Conventional solid state reaction processing was used prepare two compositions. The properties deduced Maxwell relations Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire (LGD) phenomenological theory, respectively, also directly controlled by computer measured thermometry. Large efficiencies obtained comparable with results calculated via theory. Results show great potential achieving cooling power as refrigerants.