Electrical properties of

materials

The Electrical properties of a material

are those which determine the ability
of a material to be suitable for a
particular Engineering Application
which involves electricity.

Resistivity
Conductivity
Temperature coefficient of Resistance
Thermoelectricity

Resistivity
It is the property of a material which
resists the flow of electric current
through the material. It is the
reciprocal of conductivity.

Resistivity of some materials is listed below

Sl. No.

Element

Resistivity at 20C in - m

Silver

1.59 10-8

Copper

1.7 10-8

Gold

2.44 10-8

Aluminum

2.82 10-8

Tungsten

5.6 10-8

Iron

1.0 10-7

Platinum

1.1 10-7

Lead

2.2 10-7

Manganin

4.82 10-7

10

Constantan

11

Mercury

9.8 10-7

12

Carbon (Graphite)

3.5 10-5

13

Germanium

4.6 10-1

14

Silicon

6.4 102

15

Glass

1010 to 1014

4.9 10-7

Conductivity
It is the property of material which
allows the flow of electric current
through the material. It is a parameter
which indicates how easily electric
current can flow through the material.
Conductivity of material is the reciprocal
of resistivity.

Electrical conduction
Ohms law

-relates the current I-or time rate of

charge passage to the applied voltage V
as follows:
V=IR

Where R is the resistance of the material

through which the current is passing.

Temperature Coefficient of Resistance

The temperature coefficient of resistance of a
material indicates the change in resistance of
material with change in temperature. Resistance of
conductor changes with change of temperature.
The rise in resistance of a material with rise in
temperature depends on the following,
R2 - R1 R1

R2 - R1 t2 - t1

Property of material (conductor).

Where, R1 is the resistance of conductor at

temperature of t1C and R2 is the resistance of
conductor at temperature of t2C.
Hence, from above, R2 - R1 R1 (t2 - t1)
Or, R2 - R1=1 R1 (t2 - t1) R2=R1 [1+1 (t2 - t1)]
Where, 1 is temperature coefficient of resistance of
material at temperature of t1C. Its unit is /C.
Temperature coefficient of resistance of material is
also depends on temperature.

Temperature coefficient of some materials are listed below,

Sl. No.

Element

Temperature Coefficient of

Manganin

0.00002

Constantan

0.00017

Nichrome

0.0004

Mercury

0.0009

Silver

0.0038

Copper

0.00386

Annealed copper

Platinum

0.003927

Aluminum

0.00429

10

Carbon ( Graphite)

- 0.0005

0.000393

11

Germanium

- 0.05

12

Silicon

- 0.07

Resistance in /C

Thermoelectricity
If the junction formed by joining two metals is
heated, a small voltage in the range of
millivolt is produced. This effect is called
thermoelectricity or thermoelectric effect. This
effect forms the basis of operation of
thermocouples and some temperature based
transducers. This effect can be used to
generate electricity, to measure the
temperature and to measure the change in
temperature of objects.

Dielectric behavior
A dielectric material is one that is electrically
insulating and exhibits or may be made to exhibit an
electric dipole structure; a separation of positive and
negative electrically charged entities on a molecular
or atomic level. As a result of dipole interactions
with electric fields, dielectric materials are utilized in
capacitors.

Dielectric strength of some insulating materials.

Sl. No.

Material

Dielectric Strength [KV(max.)/cm]

Air

Porcelain

80

Paraffin Wax

120

Transformer oil

160

Bakelite

220

Rubber

280

Paper

500

Teflon

600

Glass

1200

10

Mica

2000

30

Other electrical characteristics

of materials
Two other important electrical characteristics
that are found in some materials are:
Ferroelectricity
Piezoelectricity

Ferroelectricity
The group of dielectric materials are called
ferroelectrics exhibit spontaneous
polarization- that is, polarization in the
absence of an electric field. They are the
dielectric analogue of ferromagnetic
materials, which may display permanent
magnetic behavior.

Piezoelectricity

An unusual property exhibited by a few ceramic

materials is piezoelectricity, or pressure electricity:
polarization is induced and an electric field is
established across a specimen by the application of
external force reverses the direction of the field.
Piezoelectric materials are utilized in transducers,
which are devices that covert electrical energy into
mechanical strains. Some applications that employ
piezoelectrics include microphones, speakers,
audible alarms, and ultrasonic imaging.