Direct and indirect studies of electrocaloric effect were performed in poled and depoled Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 . For this purpose polarization and electrocaloric effect temperature change measurements were made at different electric field pulses as a function of temperature. Applicability of the widely-used indirect electrocaloric effect determination method, using the Maxwell relation, was critically analyzed with respect to the reliable direct measurements.Quantitative differences were observed between the results obtained by both approaches in case of the poled Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 sample. These differences can be explained by the temperature-dependent concentration of domains oriented in the direction of the applied electric field. Whereas in the depoled Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 , which is characterized by electric field dependence of polar nanoregions embedded in a nonpolar matrix, the Maxwell relation is not applicable at all, as it is indicated by the obtained results. Possible mechanisms which could be responsible for the electrocaloric effect in the relaxor state were considered. The results of this study are used to evaluate the numerous results obtained and published by other authors, using the Maxwell relation to indirectly determine electrocaloric effect. The reason of the negative electrocaloric effect values, obtained in such a way and widely discussed in literature in case of Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 , have been explained in this study.

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Despite wide studies of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3, structure of this material and its connection with the observed physical properties still raise numerous questions due to mutually contradicting results obtained. Here, structure and dielectric properties of poled and unpoled Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-CaTiO3 solid solutions are studied, projecting the obtained concentration dependence of structure and dielectric properties on pure Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 as the end member of this material group. X-ray diffraction patterns for Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-CaTiO3 solid solutions reveal dominating of an orthorhombic Pnma phase, even for the compositions approaching the end composition (Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3), whereas structure of pure Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 can be considered, assuming coexistence of rhombohedral and orthorhombic phases. This allows one to avoid appearance of a large difference of rhombohedral distortions between the unpoled and poled Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3, if the rhombohedral distortion is calculated as for single R3c phase. Features of dielectric permittivity, corresponding to the observed structural phase transition, are identified. It is discussed that the rhombohedral R3c phase is responsible for appearance of the frequency-dependent shoulder of dielectric permittivity temperature dependence, characteristic for unpoled Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3.

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