Structure and dielectric properties of BaxSr1−xTiO3-based glass ceramics for energy storage

•Complex impedance analysis.•Microwave treatment modified the microstructure to improve the BDS.•The energy densities reach to 2.8J/cm3. BaxSr1−xTiO3–(Ba–B–Al–Si–O) glass ceramics (BST–BBAS) was prepared via controlled crystallization. The effect of the crystallization temperature on the electric properties of BST–BBAS glass ceramics were investigated. The results show that the BDS first increases with the crystallization temperature rising until the maximum and then changes to decrease. In order to get higher energy storage materials, the microwave treatment was introduced to this study. It was found that microwave treatment restrain the formation of the dendritic microstructure, so that improve the dielectric breakdown strength (BDS) (increased from 1166kV/cm to 1486kV/cm). In addition, the relationship between the breakdown properties and activation energy of glass ceramics was investigated. In this study, due to the quite high dielectric BDS and comparatively high dielectric constant, the energy densities reach to 2.8J/cm3 (treated at 950°C by microwave heat method), which is relatively high for bulk materials.