Influence of soaking time on nonlinear electrical behavior and dielectric properties of TiO₂-based varistor ceramics

Abstract

The influence of soaking time on the nonlinear electrical behavior and dielectric properties of TiO₂-based varistor ceramics was investigated. Based on single sintering process, six disk samples of (Sr, Bi, Si, Ta)-doped TiO₂-based varistor ceramics were fabricated by sintering at 1 250 °C for 0.5–5.0 h. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, voltage-current characteristics, energy spectra, metallographs, breakdown voltages, and apparent dielectric constant. It is found that the breakdown electrical field intensity at a current density of 10 mA/cm² decreases from 5.5 to 4.1 V/mm first and then increases to 7.0 V/mm, the nonlinear coefficient increases from 2.39 to 2.62 first and then decreases to 2.42, and the apparent dielectric constant increases from 98 200 to 115 049 first and then decreases to 73 865 with the soaking time increasing from 0.5 to 5.0 h. These indicate that the optimal soaking time is 2.0–3.0 h considering both nonlinear electrical behavior and dielectric properties.

Keywords

TiO₂ varistor ceramics / breakdown voltage / nonlinear coefficient / dielectric constant / soaking time

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