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Effect of sintering temperature on nonlinearity and surge degradation characteristics of Mn3O4/Nb2O5/Er2O3-doped ZnO–V2O5-based varistors

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Abstract

This study elucidates the effect of sintering temperature on the nonlinearity and surge degradation characteristics of Mn3O4/Nb2O5/Er2O3–doped ZnO–V2O5-based varistors. With increasing sintering temperature, the average grain size increased from 6.3 to 16.6 μm and the ceramic density decreased from 5.51 to 5.41 g/cm3. The highest nonlinearity (α1 = 45.6) was obtained when the sintering temperature reached 900 °C. The sample sintered at 900 °C exhibited the best clamp characteristics, where the clamp voltage ratio was 1.84–2.44 at a surge current of 1–25 A. By contrast, the sample sintered at 925 °C exhibited the highest electrical stability, where \( {{\Delta E_{{1\;{\text{mA/cm}}^{2} }} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\Delta E_{{1\;{\text{mA/cm}}^{2} }} } {E_{{1\;{\text{mA/cm}}^{2} }} }}} \right. \kern-0pt} {E_{{1\;{\text{mA/cm}}^{2} }} }} = - 10.6\% \), \( \Delta \alpha_{ 1} /\alpha_{ 1} = - 3 7. 2\% \) and ΔJL/JL = 10.2% after applying a surge current of 200 A.

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  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Semiconductor Ceramics Laboratory, Dongeui University, Busan, 47340, Republic of Korea

    Choon-W. Nahm

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Nahm, CW. Effect of sintering temperature on nonlinearity and surge degradation characteristics of Mn3O4/Nb2O5/Er2O3-doped ZnO–V2O5-based varistors. J. Korean Ceram. Soc. 57, 65–72 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43207-019-00009-9

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