YTTRIUM OXIDE DOPING EFFECTS ON THE PHYSICAL AND ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOR OF PRASEODYMIUM OXIDE-BASED TIN OXIDE VARISTORS

Abstract

In this research, the effect of doping praseodymium oxide (Pr₆O₁₁) based tin oxide (SnO₂) varistors with yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) on the electrical and physical properties was investigated. Varistor samples of different composition making use of Y₂O₃ were produced, through a conventional solid state reaction route, and assessed using physical property distortion, electrical performance, and thermal behaviour to determine variations. The addition of varying amounts of Y₂O₃ promoted significant alterations to grain growth and surface morphology, including high-voltage breakdown limits affecting important varistor performance parameters like breakdown voltage and nonlinear current–voltage characteristics. Y₂O₃ in this investigation also increased correlation to the sintering kinetics contributing to an improvement in densification and thermal stability indicative of vitrous characterstics. This work describes the use of Y₂O₃ dopant potential to manipulate (i.e. tailor) the functional properties of Pr₆O₁₁ based SnO₂ varistors enabling subsequent application to advanced electronic protection optimization.