On the one hand is provided an
electric heating element (15, 31) consisting of a semiconducting
ceramic (28, 32) as well as a method for its production. The semiconducting
ceramic material may be porous or foamed to thus contain pores (29, 34) open outwardly. The pores are attainable by admixing filler bodies, which dissolve during
sintering, to the starting material or by impreganting a
textile substrate material (36) with a
ceramic material. Due to the
porosity of the
heating element (15, 31) an increased radiant surface area is attained. On the other hand is provided an
electric heating element (115, 132, 145, 150, 158, 160, 162) as well as a method for its production which consists of semiconducting ceramic and comprises a
negative temperature coefficient of the electrical resistance. The
temperature coefficient is negative throughout over the full
operating temperature range. The material suitable for the
heating element (115, 132, 145, 150, 158, 160, 162) is doped
silicon carbide or
TiN. One such
heating element (115, 132, 145, 150, 158, 160, 162) may be put to use, for example, rod-shaped in a
radiant heater body (111) or foil-shaped at the underside of a
surface element (30) of a cooktop (31). The electric
conductivity of the material of the heating element (115, 132, 145, 150, 158, 160, 162) can be adjusted by
nitrogen absorption during annealing in a
nitrogen atmosphere subsequent to the
sintering process.