| Author(s) |
Brigita Rozic, Hana Ursic, Marko Vrabelj, Lovro Fulanovic, Andraz Bradesko, Venkata Eskilla Ramana, Barbara Malic, Tadej Rojac, Zdravko Kutnjak |
| Abstract Scope |
The impact of synthesis-mediated microstructural features such as grain size and shape on ferroelectric, piezoelectric, electrocaloric properties is reviewed. It is shown that a substantial enhancement of the electrocaloric (EC) effect can be achieved with a properly engineered ceramic microstructure in PMN-xPT relaxors [1,2] and that growth rate-controlled stoichiometry of fiber crystals could result in optimized lead-free BCZT crystals with enhanced energy storage, piezoelectric and electrocaloric properties [3]. We demonstrate that the microstructural features, such as increased ceramics’ grain boundary conductance caused by an electric-field-induced phase transformation to a ferroelectric phase, are directly responsible for the electrocaloric fatigue [4]. The method how to avoid such fatigue is also discussed. [1] H. Ursic et al., Crystals 11, 372, 2021, [2] H. Ursic et al., Advances in Applied Ceramics 115, 77-80, 2016 [3] E. Venkata Ramana et al., JECS 41, 6424-6440, 2021 [4] A. Bradesko et al., Acta Materialia 169, 275-283, 2019. |