Local Chemical Clustering Enabled Ultrahigh Capacitive Energy Storage in Pb-Free Relaxors

Designing Pb-free relaxors with both a high capacitive energy density (W_rec) and high storage efficiency (η) remains a remarkable challenge for cutting-edge pulsed power technologies. Local compositional heterogeneity is crucial for achieving complex polar structure in solid solution relaxors, but its role in optimizing energy storage properties is often overlooked. Here, we report that an exceptionally high W_rec of 15.2 J cm^-3 along with an ultrahigh η of 91% can be achieved through designing local chemical clustering in Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃-BaTiO₃-based relaxors. A three-dimensional atomistic model derived from neutron/X-ray total scattering combined with reverse Monte Carlo method reveals the presence of subnanometer scale clustering of Bi, Na, and Ba, which host differentiated polar displacements, and confirming the prediction by density functional theory calculations. This leads to a polar state with small polar clusters and strong length and direction fluctuations in unit-cell polar vectors, thus manifesting improved high-field polarizability, steadily reduced hysteresis, and high breakdown strength macroscopically. The favorable polar structure features also result in a unique field-increased η, excellent stability, and superior discharge capacity. Our work demonstrates that the hidden local chemical order exerts a significant impact on the polarization characteristic of relaxors, and can be exploited for accessing superior energy storage performance.