Varistors employ nanotechnology

12 May 2010 News

Regular lighting in certain geographical locations harms electronic devices due to the surge it causes in electricity supply.

To overcome this destruction, varistors are commonly used to protect the electrical equipment from surges. Conventional varistors are generally made from zinc oxide (ZnO) and approximately 3 million varistors are manufactured annually worldwide. However, these conventional varistors are not only expensive but also sometimes fail to protect the electronic devices.

A team of researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia has developed a novel high-performance varistor that has the capability to withstand a 2000 A electrical current without causing any damage to the electronic goods. What is more, they are expected to be 30% cheaper than those currently available. Conventional varistors that are used for domestic purposes also only have the capability to withstand around 500 A of current.

The varistors developed by the team are formulated in such a way so as to absorb more electrical energy. They are fabricated on zinc oxide that can be sourced and grown locally in Malaysia by using a cost-effective technology. This makes the varistors less expensive than 90% of other varistors available in the market.

The research is unique from other conventional varistors due to the fact that they can be produced and controlled at a nanoscale level. The key ingredient, zinc oxide, exhibits different types of morphology. Through this research, the team found that the rectangular morphology of the zinc oxide has the capability to handle electrical energy. This nano structural-electrical correlation is new and many varistor manufacturers are investigating this phenomenon. The developed varistor is currently being used in several of the university’s laboratories for nano research.

For more information contact Patrick Cairns, Frost & Sullivan, +27 (0)18 464 2402, patrick.cairns@frost.com, www.frost.com

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