Ionic and electronic current transfer in ceramics based on zirconium dioxide

This paper examines temperature resistance sensors (DRT) in which stabilized ZrO/sub 2/ is used as the thermosensitive material. In order to solve a number of problems, DRTs with a lower operating temperature are required. The authors develop materials satisfying this requirement by studying heterogeneous compositions. The concentration of Co/sub 3/O/sub 4/ was varied in the compositions from 10 to 90%. The temperature relationship for the overall conductivity of the specimens is shown. The results obtained suggest that in the range below 400 degrees C, the electric conductivity of these materials is determined by the electron transfer in the phases of cobalt oxide, and its temperature changes by the activation energy of the CoO phase.