Abstract
The electrical procerties and stability of ZnO-Pr$_{6}$O$_{11}$-CoO-Cr$_2$O$_3$-Er$_2$O$_3$ (ZPCCE) based varistors were investigated in the Er$_2$O$_3$content range of 0.0 to 4.0 mol%. ZPCCE ceramics containing 2.0 mol% Er$_2$O$_3$ exhibited the highest density of 5.74 g/㎤ corresponding to 99.3% of theoretical density. The varistors with 0.5 mol% and 2.0 mol% Er$_2$O$_3$exhibited a relatively satisfying nonlinearity, which the nonlinear exponent is 40.50 and 47.15, respectively and the leakage current is 2.66 $mutextrm{A}$, respectively. Under more severe d.c. stress, such as (0.80 V$_{1mA}$/9$0^{\circ}C$/12h)+(0.85 V$_{1mA}$115$^{\circ}C$/12h)+(0.90 V$_{1mA}$12$0^{\circ}C$/12h)+(0.95 V$_{1mA}$1$25^{\circ}C$12h), they showed a very excellent stability, which the variation rate of the variator voltage is -0.89% and -0.15%, the variation rate of the nonlinear coefficient is -4.67% and -3.56%, and the variation rate of leakage current is -6.02% and -19.56%, respectively. It is surely bellived that ZnO-0.5 mol% Pr$_{6}$O$_{11}$-1.0 mol% CoO-0.5 mol% Cr$_2$O$_3$-x mol% Er$_2$O$_3$(x=0.5, 2.0) based varistors will be greatly contributed to develop the advanced Pr$_{6}$O$_{11}$-based ZnO varistors in future.uture. future.uture.