Effect of firing temperature and degree of lamination on microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO-based multilayered ceramic chip varistors

소성온도와 적층수가 ZnO계 적층형 바리스터의 미세구조와 전기적 특성에 미치는 영향

The electrical properties of a ZnO-based multilayered chip varistor (abbreviated as MLV) were studied as functions of firing condition and the degree of lamination. The fundamental varistor characteristics such as nonlinear coefficient and breakdown voltage were independent of the degree of lamination. As the number of the laminated ceramic sheets increased, however, not only the energy handling capability but also the capacitance and the leakage current which are relevant to delayed response to the voltage surge and the pre-breakdown energy loss, respectively, increased. With the increase of firing temperature between $950^{\circ}C$ and $1150^{\circ}C$, both the capacitance and the leakage current of the MLV increased due mainly to the grain growth of ZnO and the volatilization of $BiO_2O_3$. High performance MLVs with clear electrode pattern were obtained at the firing temperature range of $l000{\sim}1050^{\circ}C$ in this experiment.