Improved energy storage properties of 0.55Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.45Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.85Zr0.1Sn0.05O3 ceramics by microwave sintering

0.55BNT-0.45BCTZS-x wt% MgO ceramics were sintered by microwave sintering method. XRD data shows that the reaction between MgO and the matrix phase was suppressed and the secondary phase of MgO was observed in MgO doped samples. SEM and EDS mapping results prove that all samples exhibit a dense microstructure and MgO mainly aggregates at grain boundaries. Dielectric properties indicate that the relaxor behavior can be enhanced by MgO addittives, while x = 3–7 samples show a diffuse phase transition characteristic. The maximum polarization of the samples prepared by microwave sintering is higher than that of the samples prepared by traditional sintering. A high energy storage density of 2.09 J/cm3 and the breakdown strength of 18.97 kV/mm were obtained in the x = 5 sample, of which the energy efficiency was 79.51%.