YBa2Cu3O7-x/Thermoplastic polymer composite thermistors

Conducting YBa2Cu3O7-x was incorporated in to polyethylene matrices to produce composite materials with low room temperature resistivity and sizable positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistance effects. The intensity of the PTC effect for these composites was found to be as large as 10 orders of magnitude. The location of the PTC phenomenon is determined by the choice of polymer matrix. The mechanism for the PTC effect in crystalline polymer composites is related to the percolation behaviour of the composites and the thermal expansion of the polymer matrix.