Kt Kingtronics Introduce the Difference between NTC and PTC

The main function of thermistor is to show the change of resistance with the change of temperature.
Kingtronics would like to introduce the difference between NTC and PTC.

NTC (negative temperature coefficient) thermistors are characterized by:

•No power consumption resistor
•Its resistance decreases with the increase of temperature

The response of NTC resistance to temperature change is usually linear. When it is necessary to continuously and linearly change the resistance and temperature, such as temperature compensation, temperature control system and surge current limit, it is more appropriate to select NTC thermistor.

PTC (positive temperature coefficient) thermistors are characterized by:

•No power consumption resistor
•Its resistance increases with the increase of temperature

PTC resistance will change slightly with the increase of temperature until the "switching point" is reached, and then the resistance value will increase by several orders of magnitude. PTC is generally suitable for fuse and heater applications with self-reset function.

In short, NTC and PTC belong to thermistors and play the role of protecting the circuit.
The initial resistance of NTC is large, so it has a greater blocking effect on the current, which can effectively block the peak current. When the circuit tends to be stable, the NTC resistance will gradually decrease, so as to protect the circuit.
PTC is opposite to NTC. In a stable circuit, PTC is equivalent to a conductor. When a temporary pulse signal is encountered, the PTC resistance increases sharply, and the circuit is equivalent to an open circuit; When the pulse signal leaves, the current decreases, the PTC resistance decreases, and the circuit returns to normal.

Summary: NTC handles the abnormality to make the circuit conduct normally. It is mainly used for temperature compensation, overcurrent protection, overheating protection, automatic heating, motor starting, color TV demagnetization, etc;
PTC identifies abnormalities to cut off the circuit. It is mainly used for temperature compensation, overcurrent protection, overheating protection, automatic heating, motor start, color TV demagnetization, etc.

Kingtronics Negative Temperature Coefficient Thermistor NKT-GP Negative Temperature Coefficient Thermistor http://www.kingtronics.com/pdf/NKT-GP-Thermistor.pdf NKT-HP Negative Temperature Coefficient Thermistor http://www.kingtronics.com/pdf/NKT-HP-Thermistor.pdf