• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.383-389
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• 2000

The relationship between the DC degradation characteristics of the ZnO varistor and the ambient sintering-process is investigated in this study. ZnO varistors made o matsuoka’s composition were fabricated by standard ceramic techniques. The ambient sintering-process is performed at the extraordinary electrical-furnace which is equipped with the vacuum system. Gases used in sintering process were oxygen nitrogen argon and air. Using XRD and SEM the phase and microstructure of samples were analyzed respectively. The conditions of DC degradation tests were conducted at 115$\pm$2$^{\circ}C$ for 13 h. Current-voltage analysis is used to determine nonlinear coefficients($\alpha$). Frequency analysis are performed to understand electrical properties as DC degradation test. From above analysis it is found that the ZnO varistor sintered in oxygen atmosphere showed superior properties at the DC degradation test and degradation phenomenon of ZnO varistor is caused by the change of electrical properties in grain boundary. These results are in accordance with Gupta’s degradation model.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.1044-1050
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• 2000

ZnO-Pr$_{6}$O$_{11}$-Co$_3$O$_4$-CaO 사성분계에 SiO$_2$를 0.4at%까지 첨가하여 1180, 1200 및 125$0^{\circ}C$에서 소성하여 미세구조 및 전기적인 특성을 조사하였다. 소성온도 120$0^{\circ}C$ 이상에서 치밀한 시편을 얻을 수 있었고, Si는 주로 입계에 분포하고 있으며, SiO$_2$첨가는 결정립성장을 억제하였다. 이 현상은 고상소결만이 일어나 120$0^{\circ}C$에서 소결된 시편과 액상소결이 일어난 125$0^{\circ}C$에서 소결된 시편 모두에서 관찰되었으며, SiO$_2$첨가에 의한 기공의 증가에 기인하는 것으로 판단된다. SiO$_2$의 첨가에 의해 바리스터의 비선형계수가 크게 변화하였으며, 시편의 소성과정이 고상소결인 경우 비선형계수가 증가한 반면 액상소결인 경우에는 감소하였다. 적절한 양의 SiO$_2$(약 0.3at%)를 첨가하여 액상이 형성되지 않는 120$0^{\circ}C$에서 소성하여 80 이상의 비선형계수를 갖는 바리스터를 제조할 수 있었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.212-216
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• 2000

ZnO varistors for distribution surge arrester (18kV, 5kA) were developed and tested microstructure and electrical characteristics. Microstructure of ZnO varistor was consisted of ZnO grain, spinel phase and Bi-rich phase. Average grain size of ZnO varistor was $\mu\textrm{m}$ Reference voltage and lightning impulse residual voltage of ZnO varistor exhibited a good haracteristics above 5.5kV and below 11.56kV, respectively. Consequently, discharge capacity which is the most important characteristics of ZnO varistor for surge arrester exhibited excellent properties above 70kA at twice high-current impulse test. Moreover, variation rate of reference voltage and lightning impulse residual voltage showed below 5% and 2% after high-current impulse test, respectively. Leakage current and watt loss of ZnO varistor will not increase during accelerated aging test at stress condition, such as 3.213kV/$115^{\circ}C$/1000h.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.659-667
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• 1997

The influence of SiO$_2$on the microstructure and electrical properties of zinc oxide varistor was investigated. Zn$_2$SiO$_4$third phase in the sintered body was found at grain boundaries, multiple grain junctions, and occasionally within ZnO grains. This phase acted as a grain growth inhibitor, which retard the grain growth of the ZnO matrix by impeding migration on the grain boundaries. As SiO$_2$ addition increases, average grain size decreased from 40.6${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ to 26.9${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ due to the pinning effect by Zn$_2$SiO$_4$ and drag effect by Si segregation at grain boundaries, the breakdown voltage consequently increased. When SiO$_2$ addition is increased, interface state density decreased, however, the barrier height increased by decrease of donor concentration, as a result, the nonlinear exponent increased and leakage current decreased. While, as SiO$_2$ addition increase, it was found that the apparent dielectric loss factor shows a tendency of decrease. Wholly, electrical properties of zinc oxide varistor can be said to be improved by SiO$_2$addition.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2006.07c
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• pp.1488-1489
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• 2006

Gas Discharge Tubes (GDTs) are widely used as surge protectors for communication applications due to their small internal capacitance. In these days, however, they are mostly used in combined configurations, because the activation voltage required to initiate the discharge process in the GDTs for sufficient amount of time can be large enough to damage surge-sensitive protected circuits. For GDTs with a considerably high initial over-voltage value, we should limit the peak voltage using a TVS or filter. As for ZnO varistors, even though their performance for voltage restriction is excellent their applications in high-frequency communication circuits have been limited because of higher internal capacitance when compared to the GDTs. In order to develop a surge protector for communication applications by taking advantages of these two devices, we built a combination circuit that connects a GDT and a ZnO varistor along with a choke coil in common and differential modes. We describe how the applied SPDs operate in protection process steps with the actual data obtained from the residual voltage measurements at each step. The experiment results show that the surge voltage restriction with the choke coil is more effective in differential mode than in common mode.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.67-69
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• 2004

ZnO varistor ceramics which were fabricated with variation of added of 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.05, 0.1mol% $Nb_2O_5$ sintered at $1150^{\circ}C$. In the specimen added 0.05mol% $Nb_2O_5$, sintered density was $5.87g/cm^3$ and electrical properties were superior to any other components. The nonlinear coefficient was 75, and clamping voltage ratio was 1.40. And, endurance surge current in the specimen added 0.05mol% $Nb_2O_5$ was $6500A/cm^2$, and deviation of varistor voltage was -1.7%. As P.C.T and T.C.T environment test were succeed in all specimens, and deviation of varistor voltage in the specimen added 0.3mol% $Nb_2O_5$ was -0.81%. All specimens showed a good leakage current property in the High Temperature Continuous Load Test for 1000hr, at $85^{\circ}C$, and variation rate of the varistor voltage was -1.71%.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1186-1191
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• 2004

ZnO varistor ceramics which were fabricated with variation of added of 0.5～1.0 mol% Co$_3$O$_4$, were sintered at 1150 $^{\circ}C$. In the specimen added 0.7 mol% Co$_3$O$_4$, sintered density was 6.03 g/㎤ and electrical properties were superior to any other compositions. The nonlinear coefficient a and clamping voltage ratio were 83 and 1.35, respectively. But, endurance surge current in the specimen added 0.5 mol% Co$_3$O$_4$ was 7000 A/$\textrm{cm}^2$, and deviation of varistor voltage was Δ-3.23 %. As P.C.T and T.C.T environmental test were succeed in all specimens, and deviation of varistor voltage in the specimen added 0.6 mol% Co$_3$O$_4$ was Δ-0.81 %. All specimens showed good leakage current property on the High Temperature Continuous Load Test(HTCLT) for 1000 hr at 85 $^{\circ}C$ and variation rate of the varistor voltage below Δ-2.0 %.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.07a
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• pp.307-308
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• 2005

ZnO varistor ceramics were fabricated as a function of the sintering temperature from $1125^{\circ}C$ to $1200^{\circ}C$ with glass-frit 0.03wt% addition. The average grain size was increased from 10.4 ${\mu}m$ to 23.7 ${\mu}m$, and varistor voltage was decreased from 538 V to 329 V with rising of the sintering temperature. The nonlinear coefficient a showed similar value from 75 to 80 and leakage current of all specimens exhibited the result of $1{\mu}A$ at 82% of varistor voltage. But the clamping voltage ratio of the specimens sintered at $1175^{\circ}C$ was 1.37 at 25A [$8/20{\mu}s$]. Also, endurance of surge current and deviation of varistor voltage of sintered specimens at $1175^{\circ}C$ were $6400A/cm^2$, $\Delta$-3.32%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.106-115
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• 2019

Recently, metal cases are widely used in smart phones for their luxurious color and texture. However, when a metal case is used, electric shock may occur during charging. Chip capacitors of various values are used to prevent the electric shock. However, chip capacitors are vulnerable to electrostatic discharge(ESD) generated by the human body, which often causes insulation breakdown during use. This breakdown can be eliminated with a high-voltage chip varistor over 340V, but when the varistor voltage is high, the capacitance is limited to about 2pF. If a chip capacitor with a high dielectric constant and a chip varistor with a high voltage can be combined, it is possible to obtain a new device capable of coping with electric shock and ESD with various capacitive values. Usually, varistors and capacitors differ in composition, which causes different shrinkage during co-firing, and therefore camber, internal crack, delamination and separation may occur after sintering. In addition, varistor characteristics may not be realized due to the diffusion of unwanted elements into the varistor during firing. Various elements are added to control shrinkage. In addition, a buffer layer is inserted in the middle of the varistor-capacitor junction to prevent diffusion during firing, thereby developing a co-fired product with desirable characteristics.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.815-820
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• 2005

ZnO varistor ceramics were fabricated with variation of addition of glass-frit amount and the sintering temperature was $1100^{\circ}C$. The average grain sizes were showed increased from $8.6{\mu}m\;to\;10{\mu}m$, and varistor voltages were decreased from 506V to 460V by added amount of glass-frit. Nonlinear coefficient $\alpha$, of all were with increasing the amount of glass-frit more than 70, in case of added on $0.03wt\%$ glass-frit was 83. And leakage current were less than $1{\mu}A$ with applied at $82\%$ of varistor voltage. The clamping voltage ratio of the specimens added $0.03wt\%$ glass-frit was 1.41 at applied 25A $[8/20\;{\mu}s]$. In the specimen added $0.03wt\%$ glass-frit, endurance of surge current and deviation of varistor voltage were $6200A/cm^2,\;\Delta-1.67\%$, respectively and clamping voltage ratio was 2.33. In the Specimen added $0.03wt\%$ glass-frit were superior to any other compositions on High Temperature Load Test(HTLT) for 1000 hr at $85^{\circ}C$, and deviation of the varistor voltage were $\Delta-1.29\%$.