Multiscale structural engineering enables superior energy storage in tetragonal tungsten bronze relaxor ferroelectrics.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42285935.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-73829-z.
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Abstract
Lead-free relaxor ferroelectric ceramics are promising for pulsed-power systems due to their ultrafast discharge and high-power density, yet their practical use remains limited by low breakdown strength and insufficient energy-storage density. Here, we report Ba<sub>2</sub>La<sub>1-x</sub>Bi<sub>x</sub>Ti<sub>2</sub>Nb<sub>3</sub>O<sub>15</sub> ceramics with a tetragonal tungsten bronze structure, which achieve a recoverable energy density of 14.39 J/cm<sup>3</sup> and an efficiency of 87.69% under an ultrahigh field of 1400 kV/cm-one of the highest recoverable energy density values reported for bulk tetragonal tungsten bronze structured ceramics. By combining experiments, first-principles calculations, and finite-element simulations, we unravel a multiscale structural optimization mechanism. Bi<sup>3+</sup> incorporation induces oxygen-octahedral distortion that disrupts long-range order and enhances relaxation behavior. Concurrent grain refinement and band gap widening substantially raise the breakdown strength, leading to superior energy-storage properties. Moreover, the material exhibits excellent stability against variations in temperature, frequency, and fatigue cycles. This work establishes a generally applicable multiscale structural-engineering strategy for tetragonal-tungsten-bronze dielectrics with high energy storage performance.