Defect engineering for arresting aging in donor-acceptor co-doped BaTiO3

This study unravels the mechanistic aspects of aging in donor-acceptor co-doped piezoelectric materials and proposes an innovative method to inhibit the aging process. It comprehensively analyses the structural effects of B-site manganese and niobium co-doping in BaTiO3 and aging in compositions with varying donor/acceptor and Ba/Ti ratios. Through systematic Raman and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic investigations, this study establishes the mechanism responsible for aging in piezoelectrics. The novel aspect of the methodology adopted here is that it also yields piezoceramics with enhanced dielectric and piezoelectric characteristics.