Microstructural and Dielectric Tailoring of ZrO2-TiO2-La2O3 Ceramics for Energy Storage Applications
摘要
ZrO2-TiO2-La2O3 ceramic composites were synthesized via the conventional solid-state reaction method with varying dopant concentrations to investigate the synergistic influence of TiO2 and La2O3 on phase stability, microstructure, optical behavior, and dielectric performance. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the coexistence of monoclinic and tetragonal ZrO2 phases, with enhanced stabilization of the tetragonal phase upon co-doping. Among the compositions studied, ZTL-3 (70% ZrO2-15% TiO2-15% La2O3) exhibited the minimum crystallite size (~39.5 nm), and increased lattice strain, indicating effective dopant incorporation. FTIR spectra verified the formation of characteristic metal–oxygen bonds, while UV–Vis spectroscopy revealed wide optical band gaps in the range of 5.16-5.20 eV, confirming strong insulating behavior. Dielectric measurements demonstrated pronounced frequency-dependent characteristics governed by interfacial polarization. ZTL-3 showed the highest dielectric constant (~65 at 1 kHz), whereas ZTL-1 and ZTL-2 exhibited lower dielectric constant. Overall, the results demonstrate that the combined doping of TiO2 and La2O3 effectively tailors the structural and dielectric properties of ZrO2 ceramics, highlighting their potential for energy-storage applications.