Tailoring functional properties of Pb (Zr, Sn, Ti)O3 ceramics via lanthanum doping at lower sintering temperature

The performance of lead-based ceramics in energy storage applications is often hindered by their low energy density and inadequate phase transition properties. The (Pb, La) (Zr, Sn, Ti)O 3 (PLZST) antiferroelectric ceramics have attracted much attention as energy storage materials. In this work, ceramics Pb 1−1.5 x La x (Zr 0.93 Sn 0.05 Ti 0.02 )O 3 at ( x  = 0.015, 0.025, 0.035, and 0.045) were prepared using a solid-state method, and their dielectric and energy storage characteristics were studied. It was observed that integrating lanthanum significantly improved the perovskite structure, reducing grain size and boosting the polarization intensity. In this present study, a recoverable energy storage density ( W rec ) of 6.24 J/cm 3 was achieved under an electric field of 270 kV/cm. Moreover, these ceramics demonstrated an impressive discharge energy density ( W dis ), with 90% of the energy released within 1.29 μs. The outcomes show that PLZST is a highly effective material for advanced energy storage, pulse power applications, and paving the way for technological advancements.