Enhanced reliability and microstructure optimization of BaTiO3 nanoceramics via synergistic dopant engineering

This study demonstrates the effective refinement of the grain size in BaTiO 3 -based samples through a combination of grain size mixing and other methods. The results confirm that blending BaTiO 3 powders with different grain sizes enhances the stability of dielectric properties, while also meeting the requirements of X7R specifications. The ceramics synthesized from the mixed powder system exhibit a more uniform grain size distribution (200-300 nm), enhanced breakdown field strength, long-term reliability, and reduced dielectric loss, resulting in superior overall performance compared to single-grain-size systems, as confirmed by phase field simulations. Additionally, the effects of Zr doping on the core-shell structure thickness and the temperature stability of the hybrid ceramics were systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that excessive Zr doping adversely affects the temperature stability of BaTiO 3 -based ceramics. This material design approach partially mitigates the inherent trade-off between grain refinement and high dielectric constant, providing a cost-effective solution for thin-layer MLCCs with high specific capacitance and reliability. Moreover, the findings provide a material design framework for next-generation BME-MLCC technology.