Influence of alloy components on arc erosion morphology of Ag/MeO electrical contact materials

Arc erosion morphologies of Ag/MeO（10） electrical contact materials after 50000 operations under direct current of 19 V and 20 A and resistive load conditions were investigated using scanning electron microscope（SEM） and a 3D optical profiler（3DOP）. The results indicated that 3DOP could supply clearer and more detailed arc erosion morphology information. Arc erosion resistance of Ag/SnO_2（10） electrical contact material was the best and that of Ag/CuO（10） was the worst. Arc erosion morphology of Ag/MeO（10） electrical contact materials mainly included three different types. Arc erosion morphologies of Ag/ZnO（10） and Ag/SnO_2（10） electrical contact materials were mainly liquid splash and evaporation, and those of Ag/CuO（10） and Ag/CdO（10） were mainly material transfer from anode to cathode. Arc erosion morphology of Ag/SnO_2（6）In_2O_3（4） electrical contact materials included both liquid splash, evaporation and material transfer. In addition, the formation process and mechanism on arc erosion morphology of Ag/MeO（10） electrical contact materials were discussed.

Effects of silver powder particle size on the microstructure and properties of Ag-Yb_2O_3 electrical contact materials prepared by spark plasma sintering

mg-Yb203 electrical contact materials were fabricated by spark plasma sintefing （SPS）. The effects of silver powder particle size on the microstructure and properties of the samples were investigated. The surface morphologies of the sintered samples were examined by optical microscope （OM）, and the fracture morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The physical and mechanical properties such as density, electrical resistivity, microhardness, and tensile strength were also tested. The results show that the silver powder particle size has evident effects on the sintered materials. Comparing with coarse silver powder （5 ktm）, homogeneous and fme microstmcture was obtained by fine silver powder （_〈0.5-1am）. At the same time, the electrical conductivity, microhardness, and tensile strength of the sin- tered samples with fine silver powder were higher than those of the samples with coarse silver powder. However, silver powder particle size has little influence on the relative densities, which of all samples （both by free and coarse silver powders） is more than 95%. The fracture characteristics are ductile.

Influence of operation number on arc erosion behavior of Ag/Ni electrical contact materials

Arc erosion behavior of Ag/Ni materials with different operation numbers was investigated by OM,3DOP and SEM.The results indicated that the arc erosion of Ag/10Ni electrical contact material fabricated by sintering−extrusion technology was more and more serious with the operation numbers increasing from 1000 to 40000.With the same operation numbers,the arc erosion on anode was more serious than that on cathode.Besides,the pores preferred to emerge around the arc effect spot during the first 10000 operations.And the morphology of the molten silver on cathode and anode was different due to the action of gravity and arc erosion.Furthermore,the relationships among arc energy,arc time,welding force,electric resistivity,temperature and mass change on contacts were discussed,which indicated that the mass loss on cathode was mainly caused by the fracture of molten bridge.

Preparation and microstructure characterization of a nano-sized Ti^(4+)-doped AgSnO_2 electrical contact material

A Ti^4＋-doped nano-structured AgSnO2 material was prepared using sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The results show that Ti^4＋ cations are successfully doped into the crystal lattice of SnO2, and thus significantly improve the electrical conductivity of the sample. Furthermore, the coating of Ag on Ti^4＋-doped SnO2 nano-sized particles enhances the surface wettability and enables the resulting AgSnO2 material to have better mechanical properties.

Realization of a novel Ag/SnO_2 electrical contact material with microscopic fiber-like structure

According to the principle that fiber-like arrangement of reinforcing particles SnO2 paralleling to the direction of current is propitious to the electrical and mechanical performance of the electrical contact materials, we proposed and reported a novel precursor route used to prepare Ag/SnO,. electrical contact material with fiber- like arrangement of reinforcing nanoparticles. The mechanism for the formation of fiber-like arrangement of rein- forcing nanoparticles in Ag/SnO2 electrical contact material was also discussed. The as-prepared samples were char- acterized by means of scanning electron microscope （SEM）, optical microscope （OM）, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDX）, MHV2000 microhardness test, and double bridge tester. The analysis showed that the as-prepared Ag/SnO,, electrical contact material with fiber-like arrangement of reinforcing nanoparticles exhibits a high elongation of 24 %, a particularly low electrical resistivity of 2.08 μΩ. cm, and low arcing energy, and thus has considerable technical, economical and environmental benefits.

Effects of Rare Earths on Electrical Conductivity, Melting-Welding and Corrosion Resistance by Electric Arc of Copper-Based Alloys

The effects of rare earths on electric conductivity fusion welding-resistance and erosion-resistance by electric arc of copper-based compound material by adding different amount of rare earths to copper base to get copper based compound materials were studied. Rare earths improve active ability among interfaces and optimize organizational structures. The conductivity of samples with rare earths is obviously better than that of materials without them. Moreover, wear ability and oxidization resistance of materials with rare earths can be improved greatly. For copper contact head with rare earths, electric arc corrosion resistance and welding-melting resistance are improved. Such alloys also decrease resistance change with increasing temperature. But the adding quantity of rare earths should be appropriate and formed handicraft should be properly regulated.

Simultaneously enhancing erosion and compression resistance:designing AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy strengthened Ag-based contacts

Designing microstructures and unveiling dynamic erosion mechanisms remain important challenges for Ag-based contacts.To simultaneously enhance erosion and compression resistance,an Al Co Cr Fe Ni high-entropy alloy(HEA)is introduced into Ag-based materials to fabricate novel Ag-HEA contacts with island-and skeletonrestricted microstructures.The arc erosion experimental results reveal that the skeleton-restricted HEA microstructure is the key factor in reducing the hill and crater morphologies of the contact surface,effectively delaying material transfer between the movable and stationary contacts.The molten bridge evolution and compressive deformation behavior of Ag-HEA contacts with various microstructures are investigated using molecular dynamics(MD)simulations.MD results indicate that the constraint of Ag atom diffusion in the molten pool and the involvement of HEA atoms in the molten bridge are the primary mechanisms for improving erosion resistance.The skeleton-restricted HEA microstructure reduces the total energy and structural stability of the molten bridge system and promotes its fracture and disintegration.Moreover,the synergistic effect of the twin and Lomerz–Cottrell lock structures can hinder dislocation glide,generating dispersed and small-area stacking faults in the Ag matrix and mitigating the concentration of shear strains.Thus,the skeleton-restricted HEA microstructure contributes positively to compression resistance.This study presents a novel approach to designing Ag-based contacts.

High-speed imaging observation on molten bridges of AgNi10 electrical contact material

The electrical contact-high-speed imaging experimental system was developed to investigate the molten bridge phenomena of AgNi10 electrical contact material.The dimension of molten bridges was measured along with the measurement of waveforms in the contact voltage under the load of direct current(DC) 6 V(8-20 A)and breaking speed of 50.0 mm·s^(-1).A part of the observed results was presented as well as surface morphology of the contacts after electrical contact behavior,which shows some interesting and new phenomena.Molten bridges and arc could exist simultaneously.The stable molten bridge looks like cylindrical shape and then becomes needle tip at its rupture,the diameter and length of molten bridges both increase with the increase in current and the growth gradient of the diameter is larger than that of the length.The morphology and elemental distribution of the contact surface are changed by the behavior of electrical contact.

Microstructure and properties evolution of in-situ fiber-reinforced Ag-Cu-Ni-Ce alloy during deformation and heat treatment

Silver-based alloys are significant light-load electrical contact materials(ECMs).The trade-off between mechanical properties and electrical conductivity is always an important issue for the development of silver-based ECMs.In this paper,we proposed an idea for the regulation of the mechanical properties and the electrical conductivity of Ag-11.40Cu-0.66Ni-0.05Ce(wt%)alloy using in-situ composite fiber-reinforcement.The alloy was processed using rolling,heat treatment,and heavy drawing,the strength and electrical conductivity were tested at different deformation stages,and the microstructures during deformation were observed using field emission scanning electron microscope(FESEM),transmission electron microscope(TEM)and electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD).The results show that the method proposed in this paper can achieve the preparation of in-situ composite fiber-reinforced Ag-Cu-Ni-Ce alloys.After the heavy deformation drawing,the room temperature Vickers hardness of the as-cast alloy increased from HV 81.6 to HV 169.3,and the electrical conductivity improved from 74.3%IACS(IACS,i.e.,international annealed copper standard)to 78.6%IACS.As the deformation increases,the alloy strength displays two different strengthening mechanisms,and the electrical conductivity has three stages of change.This research provides a new idea for the comprehensive performance control of high-performance silver-based ECMs.

Production of Ag-ZnO powders by hot mechanochemical processing

Ag–CdO composites are still one of the most commonly used electrical contact materials in low-voltage applications owing to their excellent electrical and mechanical properties.Nevertheless,considering the restriction on using Cd due to its toxicity,it is necessary to find alternative materials that can replace these composites.In this study,the synthesis of Ag-ZnO alloys from Ag-Zn solid solutions was investigated by hot mechanochemical processing.The hot mechanochemical processing was conducted in a modified attritor mill at 138℃under flowing O2 at 1200 cm3/min for 3.0 h.The microstructure and phase evolution were investigated using X-ray diffractometry,field emission gun scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The results suggest that it is possible to complete the oxidation of Ag-Zn solid solution by hot mechanochemical processing at a low temperature and short time.This novel synthesis route can produce Ag-ZnO composites with a homogeneous distribution of nanoscale ZnO precipitates,which is impossible to achieve using the conventional material processing methods.Considering the fact that the fundamental approach to improving electric contact material performance resides in obtaining uniform dispersion of the second-phase in the Ag matrix,this new processing route could open the possibility for Ag-ZnO composites to replace non-environmentally friendly Ag-CdO.

Wear-resistant Ag-MAX phase 3D interpenetrating-phase composites:Processing,structure,and properties

Electrical contact materials are generally Ag-or Cu-based composites and play a critical role in ensuring the reliability and efficiency of electrical equipments and electronic instruments.The MAX(M is an early transition metal,A is an element from III or IV main groups,and X is carbon or/and nitrogen)phase ceramics display a unique combination of properties and may serve as an ideal reinforcement phase for electrical contact materials.The biological materials evolved in nature generally exhibit three-dimensional(3D)interpenetrating-phase architectures,which may offer useful inspiration for the architectural design of electrical contact materials.Here,a series of bi-continuous Ag-Ti_(3)SiC_(2) MAX phase composites with high ceramic contents exceeding 50 vol.%and having micron-and ultrafine-scaled 3D interpenetrating-phase architectures,wherein both constituents were continuous and mutually interspersed,were exploited by pressureless infiltration of Ag melt into partially sintered Ti_(3)SiC_(2) scaffolds.The mechanical and electrical properties as well as the friction and wear performance of the composites were investigated and revealed to be closely dependent on the ceramic contents and characteristic structural dimensions.The composites exhibited a good combination of properties with high hardness over 2.3 GPa,high flexural strength exceeding 530 MPa,decent fracture toughness over 10 MPa·m^(1/2),and good wear resistance with low wear rate at an order of 10^(-5)mm^(3)/(N·m),which were much superior compared to the counterparts made by powder metallurgy methods.In particular,the hardness,electrical conductivity,strength,and fracture toughness of the composites demonstrated a simultaneous improvement as the structure was refined from micron-to ultrafine-scales at equivalent ceramic contents.The good combination of properties along with the facile processing route makes the Ag-Ti_(3)SiC_(2)3D interpenetrating-phase composites appealing for electrical contact applications.

Interface Structure of Ag/SnO_2 Nanocomposite Fabricated by Reactive Synthesis

The electric contact material of Ag/SnO2 composite was achieved by reactive synthesis method. The compositions and microstructure of Ag/SnO2 composite were analyzed and characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, and high-resolution electron microscopy （HRTEM）. The struc- tural feature was typical of the particle reinforced composites. The HRTEM images revealed that the observed Ag/SnO2 interface was absence of the precipitated phase and the lattice contrast across the interface was clear and sharp. The average particle size of SnO2 in composite was near 50 nm and it was well dispersed in spherical shape. The thermodynamic mechanism of reactive synthesis method was also discussed. The electronic density distribution analysis of the interface showed the charges of Ag atoms transmitted to 0 atoms and the conductivity of the material was also affected. No extra compounds expected such as AgxOy formed at interface. The distribution of electrons was of inequality near the interface which explained why the mechanical property of the metal/ceramic materials was improved but the machining property declined.

Interface structure of Ag(111)/SnO_(2)(200)composite material studied by density functional theory

Electric contact material of Ag/SnO2 was successfully synthesized by in situ process method.The in-terface structure was characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HTEM) and simulated at atomic scale on computer.The mean-square displacements of atoms near the interface were calculated,and the results showed that near the interface both Ag side and SnO2 were mis-matched and this effect decays rapidly far from the interface.By inspecting the calculated density of states(DOS),we found that the electric-conductivity of this composite material was decreased because of the localized 4d and 2p electrons of Ag and O near the Fermi surface,respectively.Electron density changed acutely across the interface,so that there was no extra compound precipitated.A mi-cro-electric field also formed in the whole material due to the interface structure,and this may affect the electron conduction and the related electric-conductivity of the composite.It is found that the interface cohesive energy of Ag(111)/SnO2(200) was-3.50 J/m2,which is higher than the experimental results.