High power switching behavior in electrically conductive polymer composite materials

The electrical switching properties of electrically conductive polymer composites are studied at high current densities. It is shown that the switching properties at high current densities are substantially different from those at low current densities which depend on a positive temperature coefficient of resistance effect. This type of switching appears to be a general feature of conductor-filled polymer composite materials and should lead to a new class of fast, current-limiting devices for power circuits. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.