Disclosed is a variable voltage protection device for electronic devices which in one aspect comprises a thin layer of neat dielectric polymer, glass or ceramic positioned between a ground plane (14) and an electrical conductor (10) for overvoltage protection, wherein the neat polymer, glass or ceramic layer does not include the presence of conductive or semiconductive particles. Also disclosed is the combination of the neat dielectric polymer, glass or ceramic thin layer (12) positioned on a conventional variable voltage protection material comprising a binder containing conductive, semiconductive or insulative particles. A multi-layer variable voltage protection component is disclosed comprising three layers of overvoltage protection material (15, 16, 17) wherein the outer two layers contain a lower percentage of conductive, semiconductive and/or insulative particles and wherein the inner layer contains a higher percentage of conductive, semiconductive and/or insulative particles. The multi-layer component can optionally be used in combination with the neat dielectric polymer, glass or ceramic layer (12, 12') and can optionally have interposed metal layers (18, 18'). A method is disclosed for dispersing colloidal insulative particles and conductive, semiconductive and/or insulative particles using a volatile solvent for dispersement of the colloidal insulative particles and the conductive, semiconductive or insulative particles before mixing the resultant particles with the binder. |