Enhancement of the electrocaloric effect over a wide temperature range in PLZT ceramics by doping with Gd³⁺ and Sn⁴⁺ ions

The electrocaloric effect (ECE) in gadolinium and tin ions doped lead lanthanum zirconate titanate ceramics was investigated. Five samples with different compositions and hence different relaxor behaviors and polarization properties were prepared via a conventional solid-state reaction process. The ECE was measured directly by a high resolution thermometer from 293 K to 423 K. The results show that the ECE is mainly determined by the number of polarization states and polar-correlation strength. Furthermore, the results reveal that the temperature variation of ECE around Curie temperature is associated with the generation rate, activation energy, size and freezing temperature of polar nanoregions. As a result, Sn doped PLZT composition exhibits the best ECE, i.e., a peak ΔT > 2 K obtained at 5 MV/m, and ΔT > 1.78 K achieved in the whole temperature range measured at the same field, which are very attractive for high performance ECE devices.