The influence of conventional sintering on the microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO-based varistor

Abstract

Zinc oxide varistors are frequently utilized as surge protection devices in power systems. ZnObased varistors' electrical properties depend on their microstructure, which may be altered by sintering. In this paper, we look at how conventional sintering affects the microstructure and electrical characteristics of ZnO-semiconductor varistors. ZnO-based varistors were made using a traditional solid-state reaction process and sintered for 2 hours at varying temperatures (1100 °C, 1200 °C, and 1300 °C). Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to examine the microstructure and phase composition. A conventional test procedure was used to measure the electrical parameters of the varistors, such as the breakdown voltage, leakage current, and nonlinear coefficient. Traditional sintering has a considerable impact on microstructure and electrical properties.