Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The effect of grinding media on suspensions, microstructures, and comprehensive electrical properties of ZnO varistors

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this work is to find a proper grinding medium that produce the best suspension of additives in order to fabricated ZnO varistors with excellent comprehensive electrical properties. For this, the effect of various kind of milling media (alumina, zirconia, and agate) in the milling times of 2, 6, and 12 h on particle size distribution, contamination amount, and zeta potential of additives suspensions was explored. Furthermore, the relation between these parameters with the microstructures and electrical properties of ZnO varistors was elaborated. Results showed that, for same milling times, the additives suspension obtained by zirconia medium produced the smallest size of particles with the most absolute value of zeta potential. The contamination amount was minimum in agate samples. In the instrument detection limit, the XRD results reveal that there is no variation in the phase compositions of the all ZnO varistors. The SEM images confirmed that the type of milling medium has a major effect on the morphology and the grain size of varistor samples. The excellent comprehensive electrical performance which are Eb: 325 V/mm, α: 68, JL: 2 µA/cm2, Kr: 1.5 along with an excellent discharge capability was acquired for those samples prepared by the zirconia medium after 6 h milling. Therefore, these results corroborate that the zirconia medium is the best choice for production of ZnO varistors with highly outstanding non-Ohmic characteristics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

References

  1. M. Matsouka, non-ohmics property of zinc ceramics. Jpn J. Appl. Phys. 10, 736 (1971)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. D.R. Clarke, Varistor ceramics. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 82, 485 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. T.K. Gupta, Application of zinc oxide varistors. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 73, 1817 (1990)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. F. Greuter, ZnO Varistors from Grain Boundaries to Power Applications (Wiley, Hoboken, 2021), pp.157–234. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119529538

    Book  Google Scholar 

  5. J. Li, S. Li, P. Cheng, M.A. Alim, Advances in ZnO–Bi2O3 based varistors. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 26, 4782–4809 (2015)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. J. He, Metal Oxide Varistors: From Microstructure to Macro-characteristics (Wiley, Boschstr, 2019), pp.31–65

    Book  Google Scholar 

  7. C. Thambiliyagodage, R. Wijeseker, Ball milling—a green and sustainable technique for the preparation of titanium based materials from ilmenite. Curr. Res. Green Sustain. Chem. 5, 100236 (2022)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. C. Suryanarayana, Mechanical alloying and milling. Prog. Mater. Sci. 46, 1–184 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. C.P. Fah, J. Wang, Effect of high-energy mechanical activation on the microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO-based varistors. Solid State Ion. 132, 107–117 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. M.C. Kelleher, M.S.J. Hashmi, The effect of vibratory milling on the powder properties of zinc oxide varistors. J. Mater. Process. Technol. 201, 645–650 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Y. Yan, X. Ren, Q. Cheng, X. Ruan, M. Wang, W. Yu, Z. Yao, Effects of sizes of additive particles on suspensions, microstructures, and electrical properties of ZnO varistors. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 00, 1–8 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  12. X. Ruan, X. Ren, W. Zhou, Q. Cheng, Z. Yao, W. Yu, L. Jin, L. Shi, Effects of dispersant content and pH on dispersion of suspension, microstructures and electrical properties of ZnO varistors. Ceram. Int. 46, 14134–14142 (2020)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Z. Li, X. Ren, X. Wang, W. You, M. Zhong, A. Kong, X. Lao, H. Jiang, W. Yu, L. Jin, Z. Yao, L. Shi, Effectively enhanced comprehensive electrical performance of ZnO varistors by a fast combinatorial refinement method. Mater. Sci. Semicond. Process. 133, 105945 (2021)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. W.J. Cai, G.R. Li, Q.R. Yin, Analysis of ZnO varistors prepared from high-energy mechanical activation. J. Electroceram. 21, 234–237 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. H.Y. Liu, H. Kong, X.M. Ma, W.Z. Shi, Microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO-based varistors prepared by high-energy ball milling. J. Mater. Sci. 42, 2637–2642 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. J. Zhu, G. Qi, L. Wang, H. Yang, F. Wang, Influence of intensive milling on the microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO–Bi2O3-based varistors. Ceram. Int. 38, S463–S466 (2012)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. X. Dong, T. Dong-mei, J. Lei, Y. Hong-ming, Z. Guo-ping, C. Xiao-nong, Effects of high-energy ball milling oxide-doped and varistor ceramic powder on ZnO varistor. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22, 1423–1431 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. M.I. Miranda-López, M.B. Hernández, P. Zambrano-Robledo, L. García-Ortiz, S. García-Villarreal, C. Gómez Rodríguez, J.A. Aguilar-Martínez. (2018) Effect of milling speed and time on electrical properties and microstructure of SnO2-Co3O4-Dy2O3-Ta2O5 varistors.  Ceramics International 44:23185–23190

  19. M. Broseghini, M. D’Incau, L. Gelisio, N.M. Pugno, P. Scardi, Effect of jar shape on high-energy planetary ball milling efficiency: simulations and experiments. Mater. Des. 110, 365–374 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. M. Asachi, E. Nourafkan, A. Hassanpour, A review of current techniques for the evaluation of powder mixing. Adv. Powder Technol. 29, 1525–1549 (2018)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. C.H. Zhang, M.S. Li, D. Xu, Y.F. Chen, Y.L. Liu, K. Zhang, Microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO–Bi2O3-based varistor ceramics by different high-energy ball milling time. Adv. Mater. Res. 490–495, 3391–3395 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Y.W. Lao, S.T. Kuo, W.H. Tuan, Influence of ball milling on the sintering behaviour of ZnO powder. Ceram. Int. 35, 1317–1320 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. D. Xu, X.N. Cheng, M.S., L.Y. Wang, Shi, Microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO-Bi2O3-doped ZnO-Bi2O3 based varistor ceramics. Adv. Mater. Res. 79–82, 2007–2010 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. M. Maleki Shahraki, S.A. Shojaee, A. Nemati, M. A. Faghihi Sani, High voltage SnO2 varistors prepared from nanocrystalline powders. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 21, 199–205 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  25. S. Bernik, N. Daneu, A. Recnik, Inversion boundary induced grain growth in TiO2 or Sb2O3 doped ZnO-based varistor ceramics. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 24, 3703–3708 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. S. Bernik, N. Daneu, Characteristics of ZnO-based varistor ceramics doped with Al2O3. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 27, 3161–3170 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. H. Bai, M. Li, Z. Xu, R. Chu, J. Hao, H. Li, C. Chen, G. Li, Influence of SiO2 on electrical properties of the highly nonlinear ZnO–Bi2O3–MnO2 varistors. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 37, 3965–3971 (2017)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. H. Bai, M. Zhang, Z. Xu, R. Chu, J. Hao, H. Li, Y. Gong, G. Li, The effect of SiO2 on electrical properties of low-temperature sintered ZnO–Bi2O3–TiO2–Co2O3–MnO2-based ceramics. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 100, 1057–1064 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. D. Xu, K. He, L. Jiao, B. Chen, S. Mu, W. Wu, X. Sun, Y. Yang, Microstructure and electrical properties of ZrO2-doped ZnO varistor ceramics. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 27, 767–771 (2016)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. C. Kim, J. Kim, Microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO–ZrO2–Bi2O3–M3O4 (M = Co, Mn) varistors. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 24, 2537–2546 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. N. Daneu, S. Bernik, A. Rečnik, Inversion boundary induced grain growth in ZnO ceramics: from atomic-scale investigations to microstructural engineering. J. Phys. Conf. Ser 326, 012003 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. H. Shouxiang, W. Shiliang, X. Yuchun, L. Xingjiao, Effect of aluminum doping on the electrical properties of ZnO varistors, in IEEE Transactions on Components, Hybrids, and Manufacturing Technology. CHMT-8 (1985), pp. 525–529

  33. M. Maleki Shahraki, M. A.Bahrevar, S.M.S. Mirghafourian, The effect of TiO2 addition on microstructure and electrical properties of SnO2 varistors prepared from nanomaterials. Ceram. Int. 41, 6920–6924 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. J. He, S. Li, J. Lin, L. Zhang, K. Feng, L. Zhang, W. Liu, J. Li, Reverse manipulation of intrinsic point defects in ZnO-based varistor ceramics through Zr-stabilized high ionic conducting III-Bi2O3 intergranular phase. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 38, 1614–1620 (2018)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. S. Li, J. Lin, J. He, W. Liu, Influences of lithium on the defect structures and electrical properties of ZnO–Bi2O3 based varistors. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 28, 13905–13911 (2017)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. M. Abdollahi, M.R. Nilforoushan, M. Maleki Shahraki, M. Delshad Chermahini, M. Moradizade, The degradation behavior of high-voltage SnO2 based varistors sintered at different temperatures. Ceram. Int. 46, 11577–11583 (2020)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. R&D Department, Barghgir Toos knowledge-based company, Mashhad, Iran

    Fahimehsadat Abedsaeidi, Fatemeh Norouzian & Meysam Kahkhaei Javan

  2. Advanced Materials & Renewable Energies Department, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

    Akbar Amini

  3. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM), Mashhad, Iran

    Meysam Kahkhaei Javan

  4. Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Maragheh, Maragheh, 55181-83111, Iran

    Mohammad Maleki Shahraki

Authors
  1. Fahimehsadat Abedsaeidi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Akbar Amini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fatemeh Norouzian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Meysam Kahkhaei Javan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mohammad Maleki Shahraki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

FA, AA, FN, MKJ study conceptualization and writing original draft the manuscript. MMS superviser, writing and editing the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Maleki Shahraki.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Research involving animal rights 

This article does not contain any studies involving animals performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Abedsaeidi, F., Amini, A., Norouzian, F. et al. The effect of grinding media on suspensions, microstructures, and comprehensive electrical properties of ZnO varistors. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 21727–21736 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-08960-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-08960-w

Search

Navigation