Abstract: A non-linear resistor comprises a sintered body having zinc oxide as a main component, a side-surface high resistance layer arranged at a side-surface of the sintered body, and an electrode arranged at upper and lower surfaces of the sintered body. The side-surface high resistance layer is formed of a specifically selected material. The end-to-end distance between an end portion of the electrode and a nonlinear resistor end portion including the side-surface high resistance layer falls within a range of 0 mm to the thickness of the side-surface high resistance layer+0.01 mm.

Abstract: A non-linear resistor comprises a sintered body having zinc oxide as a main component, a side-surface high resistance layer arranged at a side-surface of the sintered body, and an electrode arranged at upper and lower surfaces of the sintered body. The side-surface high resistance layer is formed of a specifically selected material. The end-to-end distance between an end portion of the electrode and a nonlinear resistor end portion including the side-surface high resistance layer falls within a range of 0 mm to the thickness of the side-surface high resistance layer+0.01 mm.

Abstract: A current/voltage non-linear resistor comprises a sintered body having a main component of ZnO, an electrode applied to a surface of the sintered body and an insulation material applied to another surface of the sintered body. The main component containing, as auxiliary components, Bi, Co, Mn, Sb, Ni and Al, and the contents of the auxiliary components are respectively expressed as Bi2O3, Co2O3, MnO, Sb2O3, NiO and Al3+, of Bi2O3: 0.3 to 2 mol %, Co2O3: 0.3 to 1.5 mol %, MnO: 0.4 to 6 mol %, Sb2O3: 0.8 to 7 mol %, NiO: 0.5 to 5 mol % and Al3+: 0.001 to 0.02 mol %; a Bi2O3 crystalline phase in the sintered body including an &agr;-Bi2O3 phase representing at least 80% of the total Bi2O3 phase.

Abstract: A voltage nonlinear resistor has a voltage nonlinear resistive body including zinc oxide, and a side face high-resistance layer provided on the side face of the resistive body. The high-resistance layer contains zinc in an amount of 1.0 to 25% by weigh in terms of its oxide (ZnO), boron in an amount of 1.0 to 10% by weight in terms of its oxide (B2O3), silicon in an amount of 0.1 to 5% by weight in terms of its oxide (SiO2), aluminum in an amount of 0.05 to 3% by weight in terms of its oxide (Al2O3), and barium in an amount of 0.05 to 3% by weight in terms of its oxide (BaO), with bismuth being substantially the balance in terms of its oxide (Bi2O3).

Abstract: A current/voltage non-linear resistor comprises a sintered body having a main component of ZnO, an electrode applied to a surface of the sintered body and an insulation material applied to another surface of the sintered body. The main component containing, as auxiliary components, Bi, Co, Mn, Sb, Ni and Al, and the contents of the auxiliary components are respectively expressed as Bi2O3, Co2O3, MnO, Sb2O3, NiO and Al3+, of Bi2O3: 0.3 to 2 mol %, Co2O3: 0.3 to 1.5 mol %, MnO: 0.4 to 6 mol %, Sb2O3: 0.8 to 7 mol %, NiO: 0.5 to 5 mol % and Al3+: 0.001 to 0.02 mol %; a Bi2O3 crystalline phase in the sintered body including an &agr;-Bi2O3 phase representing at least 80% of the total Bi2O3 phase.

Abstract: A voltage nonlinear resistor has a voltage nonlinear resistive body including zinc oxide, and a side face high-resistance layer provided on the side face of the resistive body. The high-resistance layer contains zinc in an amount of 1.0 to 25% by weigh in terms of its oxide (ZnO), boron in an amount of 1.0 to 10% by weight in terms of its oxide (B2O3), silicon in an amount of 0.1 to 5% by weight in terms of its oxide (SiO2), aluminum in an amount of 0.05 to 3% by weight in terms of its oxide (Al2O3), and barium in an amount of 0.05 to 3% by weight in terms of its oxide (BaO), with bismuth being substantially the balance in terms of its oxide (Bi2O3).

Abstract: A sintered body which can be formed into a resistor having a non-linear resistance includes zinc oxide is the principal composition and bismuth, cobalt, antimony, manganese and nickel respectively converted to expressed Bi2O3, Co2O3, Sb2O3, MnO and NiO as auxiliary compositions. The compositions contains 0.05 to 10 mol % of Bi2O3, 0.05 to 10 mol % of Co2O3, 0.05 to 10 mol % of Sb2O3, 0.05 to 10 mol % of MnO and 0.05 to 10 mol % of NiO; the content ratio of the Bi2O3 to the NiO is in a mole ratio of 0.5 or more but 1.5 or less, and the content ratio of the MnO to the Sb2O3 is in a mole ratio of 1.0 or less. Preferably, the composition contains at least one of 0.5 to 500 ppm of aluminum, converted to Al3+, and 10 to 1000 ppm of at least one or the other of boron and silver, converted respectively to B3+, and Ag+. The composition may also contain 0.01 to 1000 ppm of at least one of sodium, potassium, chlorine and calcium, converted respectively to Na+, K+, Cl− and Ca2+.