Do you know the difference between NTC thermistor and PTC thermistor?

The main function of a thermistor is to exhibit a change in resistance as temperature changes.

NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) thermistors are characterized by:

Non-dissipative resistor.

Its resistance decreases with increasing temperature.

High sensitivity, high precision, cost-effective, suitable for harsh environments.

The measurement temperature is between -40-250°C, and if gold electrodes are used, the temperature resistance can reach 420°C.

The response of NTC resistors to temperature changes is usually linear. When continuous linear change of resistance and temperature is required, such as temperature compensation, temperature control system and inrush current limitation, it is more appropriate to choose NTC thermistor.

PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) thermistors are characterized by:

Non-dissipative resistor.

Its resistance increases with temperature.

Safe and reliable, anti-dry, self-recovery.

PTC resistance changes slightly with increasing temperature until a "switching point" is reached, after which the resistance value increases by several orders of magnitude. PTC thermistor is generally suitable for fuses with self-resetting functions, as well as heater applications. PTC is generally used in series in the circuit to limit the circuit current and is an overcurrent protection device.

How to choose a thermistor?

How you use a thermistor is important, but so is which thermistor you choose. The most important thing is to check the temperature range used, the optimal temperature range of the thermistor depends on the type and product, measurements outside this range may affect the accuracy. Check the operating temperature range and thermistor specification of the device under test and choose the best one. We know that the higher the performance, the better the thermistor, but the more expensive the product. It is very important to consider cost in circuit design. So also consider the budget to determine a product whose specifications won't cause any problems for the actual circuit. We need to look at the corresponding thermistor resistance and temperature characteristic R/T table: make sure the resistance meets our needs.