Novel Ultrahigh-Performance ZnO-Based Varistor Ceramics

The nonlinear response of a material to an external stimulus is vital in fundamental science and technical applications. The power-law current-voltage relationship of a varistor is one such example. An excellent example of such behavior is the power-law current-voltage relationship exhibited by Bi₂O₃-doped ZnO varistor ceramics, which are the cornerstone of commercial varistor materials for overvoltage protection. Here, we report on a sustainable, ZnO-based varistor ceramic, without the volatile Bi₂O₃, that is based on Cr₂O₃ as the varistor former and oxides of Ca, Co, and Sb as the performance enhancers. The material has an ultrahigh α of up to 219, a low I_L of less than 0.2 μA/cm², and a high E_b of up to 925 V/mm, making it superior to state-of-the-art varistor ceramics. The results provide insights into the design of materials with specific characteristics by tailoring states at the grain boundaries. The discovery of this ZnO-Cr₂O₃-type varistor ceramic represents a major breakthrough in the field of varistors for overvoltage protection and could drastically affect the world market for overvoltage protection.