What are the characteristics of NTC thermistors?
Release Date:
2023-03-30
Author:
An NTC thermistor is a negative temperature coefficient resistor (a power‑type thermistor) whose resistance decreases nonlinearly with increasing temperature. It is composed of semiconductor materials, typically fabricated from mixtures of manganese, cobalt, copper, or nickel oxides. Its operating temperature range spans from −150°C to 600°C. For temperatures around 700°C, devices incorporating zirconia doped with rare‑earth oxides may be employed. When continuous resistance variation over a wide temperature range is required, an NTC thermistor is the preferred choice, as it offers mechanical, thermal, and electrical stability along with high sensitivity.
The main advantages of NTC thermistors are:
Surface Mount: A wide range of sizes and tolerance grades are available.
Temperature Compensation: For temperature compensation, the alloy copper‑wire resistor is typically connected in parallel with an NTC thermistor, and the resulting combination is then connected in series with the device being compensated.
High sensitivity and flexibility: This enables thermistors to detect even the smallest temperature changes, and they can be configured into a wide variety of physical forms, including very small packages.
Cost and Sealing: For high‑performance applications, thermistors offer excellent cost‑effectiveness. Glass encapsulation provides a hermetic seal, preventing moisture‑induced sensor failures.
Temperature measurement using a temperature sensor: As a thermistor used for temperature sensing, it relies on the fact that its resistance changes with ambient temperature. However, when an NTC resistor is connected to a circuit, a certain current always flows through it. This current generates heat within the NTC itself, causing its resistance to decrease and significantly affecting the measurement. Therefore, it is essential to control self‑heating and avoid excessive current through the thermistor, which could lead to additional heating of the component and introduce measurement errors.
Accuracy and Stability: Thermistors offer both high absolute accuracy and excellent interchangeability. In certain electrical appliances where precision is critical—particularly in instruments and meters—many components are made of metallic wires, such as wire-wound resistors. Since metals generally exhibit a positive temperature coefficient, this can be compensated by using a thermistor with a negative temperature coefficient; the opposing effects of the two cancel out temperature‑induced errors, thereby enhancing overall accuracy.
As for the drawbacks of NTC thermistors, self-heating is typically the only design consideration. Proper precautions must be taken to limit the sensing current to a sufficiently low level, thereby minimizing self-heating errors to an acceptable threshold. Nonlinearity can be addressed through software or circuitry, while moisture‑induced failures can be mitigated by using a glass encapsulation.
Huizhou Jin Yuan Xiang Electronic Co., Ltd. It is a high-tech enterprise that manufactures NTC thermistor NTC temperature sensor Temperature probes. Feel free to request a quote with product images. Free samples are available. For more information on NTC thermistors, please visit our website at www.jyx-sensor.cn. If you have any questions, please contact our team for assistance.
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