Superior energy storage performance and excellent multiferroic properties of BaTi_1-xGd_xO₃ (0 x 0.06) ceramics

Ceramic based capacitors with superior energy storage performance and high storage energy density play an important role in modern electronic devices. Several ferroelectric materials with high dielectric constant and relaxor behavior become the most promising systems for realizing higher energy storage performance. In the present work, environmentally lead-free BaTi1-xGdxO3 (0 <= x <= 0.06) nanostructures were synthesized using the sol-gel auto-combustion process. The doping of Gd at the Ti site causes the transformation of the ferroelectric behavior to the relaxor ceramics, which is important for finding the large energy storage efficiency of the material. The surface morphology of undoped and doped samples was examined through the SEM studies. Ferroelectric study evidence that the system is going to a more symmetric phase due to a reduction in the polarization parameters and enhancement in the leakage current density. Moreover, the energy discharge density and energy storage efficiency were boosted in x = 0.02 and x = 0.04 samples with energy storage efficiencies reaching similar to 81% and 83%, respectively. The linear enhancement in the magnetic moment and the dielectric constant in the doped sample make the system favorable for multifunctional applications. The samples' piezoelectric constant (d(33)) remains preserved under Gd doping. Hence, the present study opens a propagable and feasible route to synthesize novel lead-free ferroelectric material for energy storage applications.