Large Electrocaloric Effect in Lead-Free (Ba(0.85)Ca(0.15))(Zr(0.1)Ti(0.9))O(3) Ceramics Prepared via Citrate Route

The 1 wt % Li-doped (Ba(0.85)Ca(0.15))(Zr(0.1)Ti(0.9))O(3) (BCZT-Li) ceramics prepared by the citrate method exhibit improved phase purity, densification and electrical properties, which provide prospective possibility to develop high-performance electrocaloric materials. The electrocaloric effect was evaluated by phenomenological method, and the BCZT-Li ceramics present large electrocaloric temperature change ∆T, especially large electrocaloric responsibility ξ = ∆T(max)/∆E(max), which can be comparable to the largest values reported in the lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. The excellent electrocaloric effect is considered as correlating with the coexistence of polymorphic ferroelectric phases, which are detected by the Raman spectroscopy. The large ξ value accompanied by decreased Curie temperature (around 73 °C) of the BCZT-Li ceramics prepared by the citrate method presents potential applications as the next-generation solid-state cooling devices.