Voltage Switch of Nano-Size Zinc Oxide Ceramic Defected Barium

Two samples of ZnO doped Ba with the chemical composition, 97ZnO-3BaO, have been prepared via oxalate co-precipitation. During precipitation the first sample, A, was stirred by magnetic stirrer while the second sample, B, was stirred via 40KHz ultrasonic wave. The obtained powders were decomposed at 400ºC for 3h, then pressed and sintered at 1200ºC for 1.5h. Then XRD, SEM and J-E measurements were performed and analysed. The grain sizes of the obtained ceramics were (0.5-2.26) µm and (80-119) nm for samples A and B, respectively. The J-E measurements revealed that the obtained ceramic has voltage switching characteristics, and that the switching voltage could be controlled by the stirring process.