computer hardware, consumer electronics, electronic components

PTC thermistor

A thermistor is a material whose resistance varies with temperature. The thermistor is broken down into two types, NTC (negative temperature coefficient) thermistor and PTC (positive temperature coefficient) thermistor, in view of its temperature coefficient. The NTC thermistor is a material which has a negative temperature coefficient and whose resistivity decreases with increasing temperature, and is applied in the form of a temperature sensor to temperature compensation elements, etc. A thermistor having a positive temperature coefficient (PTC thermistor) is known as one of the overcurrent protective devices. The PTC thermistor is on the other hand a material which has a positive temperature coefficient and whose resistivity increases sharply at a certain specific temperature. PTC thermistors increase their resistivities within a particular temperature range in the vicinity of their ferroelectric Curie temperature. Exposure to overcurrent in an electric circuit causes the conductive polymer sheet inside a PTC thermistor to heat up and expand. This thermal expansion of the conductive polymer sheet increases the resistance of the PTC thermistor and thus reduces the current to a safer level. PTC thermistors have been used as an overcurrent protection element. When an electric circuit gets overloaded, conductive polymers of a PTC thermistor, which have PTC properties, emit heat and thermally expand to become high resistance, thereby reducing the current in the circuit to a safe small current level. The PTC thermistor includes a conductive polymer in which conductive particles are filled in a crystalline polymer, and a pair of electrodes that are arranged on both surfaces of the conductive polymer. Various PTC thermistors have long been used as protective circuit elements for protecting circuit component parts from the overcurrent. Of these various PTC thermistors, organic PTC thermistors are well known and comprise a thermistor element made from electroconductive particles such as those of carbon black or any other metal, mixed into synthetic resin of a polyolefin system. An organic positive temperature coefficient thermistor can be used as a self-regulated heater, an overcurrent-protecting element, and a temperature sensor.


productsPTC thermistor product listings


Sort By :


Category Navigation :