Effect of La doping on the electrical behaviors of BNT-BT based ceramics

[(Bi1/2Na1/2)(0.94)Ba-0.06]((1-1.5x))LaxTiO3 (BNT-BLT, x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06) lead-free anti-ferroelectric ceramics were synthesized by a conventional solid-state reaction method. The microstructure and the electrical properties of BNT-BLT were investigated. The X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that the BNT-BLT ceramic is constituted by a single perovskite structure phase. The average grain size of the ceramic samples gradually decreases with increasing La content, reducing the ferroelectric properties of the material and enhancing its anti-ferroelectric properties. The P-E hysteresis loops of BNT-BLT ceramics at an electric field of 36 kV/cm indicate that both the saturation polarization (P-s) and the remnant polarization (P-r) decrease as the La doping increases. These properties indicate that BNT-BLZT ceramics are a promising lead-free anti-ferroelectric material for applications in energy-storage capacitors.