Effects of reducing and oxidizing atmospheres on the PTCR characteristics of porous n-BaTiO3 ceramics by adding polyethylene glycol

Donor doped BaTiO3 (n-BaTiO3) ceramics were fabricated by adding polyethylene glycol (PEG) at 20 wt %. The effects of reducing and oxidizing atmospheres on the PTCR characteristics of the porous n-BaTiO3 ceramics were investigated. The PTCR characteristics of the porous n-BaTiO3 ceramics is strongly affected by chemisorbed oxygen at the grain boundaries and are recovered as the atmosphere is changed from the reducing gas to oxidizing gas. The low room-temperature resistivity of the porous n-BaTiO3 ceramics in reducing atmospheres may be caused by the decrease in potential barrier height, which originates from an increase in the number of electrons owing to the desorption of chemisorbed oxygen atoms at the grain boundaries. In addition, the high room-temperature resistivity of the porous n-BaTiO3 ceramics in oxidizing atmospheres may be caused by the increase in potential barrier height, which results from the adsorption of chemisorbed oxygen atoms at the grain boundaries. (C) 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.