This study reports on the development of some WCuNi materials for use as electrical contacts for low voltage vacuum switching contactors for nominal currents up to 630 A. The contact materials with 85 wt% W, 1214 wt% Cu and 13 wt% Ni were obtained by spark plasma sintering process in vacuum. From very nely dispersed WCuNi powder mixtures there were produced sintered electrical contact pieces that were investigated in terms of physical, microstructural, mechanical, and functional properties. The material sintered at 1200• C exhibited a near fully dense structure with very low porosity and enhanced mechanical properties: hardness of maximum 480 HV1 and elastic modulus of maximum 220 GPa and low chopping current of maximum 1.77 A.
Nanostructured WCuNi electrical contact materials to be used in low voltage vacuum switching contactors for nominal currents up to 630 A were developed successfully by hot isostatic pressing. WCuNi composite powder mixtures with copper content of 20 to 40 wt% and 1 wt% Ni were mechanically alloyed in Ar atmosphere by high--energy ball milling with a ratio of milling steel balls: powders mixtures of 8:1 and rotation speed of 400 rpm for 10 and 20 h. The eect of mechanical alloying on the sintering response of composite compacts was investigated. Also, the sintered contacts were characterized from the point of view of physical, microstructural, mechanical, and functional properties. The nanostructured electrical contacts presented very good sinterability and homogeneous structures with a maximum compactity degree of about 89%. The best WCuNi compositions with relative density of about 80%, chopping currents lower than 5 A, copper content lower than 40% as W20Cu1Ni (10 h of mechanical alloying and 20 h of mechanical alloying) and W30%CuNi (10 h of mechanical alloying) were selected to be used in vacuum contactors.
Nanostructured W Cu Ni electrical contact materials to be used in low voltage vacuum switching contactors for nominal currents up to 630 A were developed successfully by hot isostatic pressing. W Cu Ni composite powder mixtures with copper content of 20 to 40 wt% and 1 wt% Ni were mechanically alloyed in Ar atmosphere by high--energy ball milling with a ratio of milling steel balls: powders mixtures of 8:1 and rotation speed of 400 rpm for 10 and 20 h. The e ect of mechanical alloying on the sintering response of composite compacts was investigated. Also, the sintered contacts were characterized from the point of view of physical, microstructural, mechanical, and functional properties. The nanostructured electrical contacts presented very good sinterability and homogeneous structures with a maximum compactity degree of about 89%. The best W Cu Ni compositions with relative density of about 80%, chopping currents lower than 5 A, copper content lower than 40% as W 20Cu 1Ni (10 h of mechanical alloying and 20 h of mechanical alloying) and W 30%Cu Ni (10 h of mechanical alloying) were selected to be used in vacuum contactors.
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