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SbVO4 doped ZnO–V2O5-based varistor ceramics: microstructure, electrical properties and conductive mechanism

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Abstract

The effects of SbVO4 addition on the microstructure, electrical properties and characteristics of grain and grain boundary of ZnO–V2O5 based varistor ceramics were studied using SEM, E–J measurements and impedance spectroscopy. XRD analysis revealed that all the samples consist of main phase of ZnO and the second phase of BiVO4 and Zn7Sb2O12. The microstructural homogeneity of the ceramic was improved through adding SbVO4. With an increase of SbVO4, the average grain sizes decrease from 16.1 to 6.1 μm. The resistivity of grain boundary is approximately constant (~103 Ω). The ZnO–V2O5-based varistor ceramics added with 0.3 mol % SbVO4 sintered at 940 °C for 4 h exhibited good nonlinear properties of α = 51, J = 13.4 μA/mm2 and E 1mA = 416 V/mm.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 51102058, 21061004 and 21261007), Project of Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi (nos. 2011GXNSFB018012, 2011GXNSFB018009, 2012GXNSFDA053024, and 11107006-42), Guilin (No. 20120112-1), Program to Sponsor Teams for Innovation in the Construction of Talent Highlands in Guangxi Institutions of Higher Learning, and Research start-up funds Doctor of Guilin University of Technology (No. 002401003281 and No. 002401003282).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Nonferrous Metals and Specific Materials Processing, Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Materials and New Processing Technology, Ministry of Education, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China

    Ruli Guo, Liang Fang, Huanfu Zhou & Xiuli Chen

  2. Guangxi New Future Information Industry Co. Ltd, Beihai, China

    Dongjin Chu, Baocheng Chan & Yuandong Qin

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  1. Ruli Guo
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  2. Liang Fang
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  3. Huanfu Zhou
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  4. Xiuli Chen
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Correspondence to Liang Fang or Huanfu Zhou.

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Guo, R., Fang, L., Zhou, H. et al. SbVO4 doped ZnO–V2O5-based varistor ceramics: microstructure, electrical properties and conductive mechanism. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 24, 2721–2726 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-013-1161-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-013-1161-y

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