Arc Erosion and Morphological Characters of Ag/LSCO(12) Contacts by Different Methods

Abstract

To diagnose the arc erosion type and improve arc erosion resistance of Ag/LSCO (Ag/La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ) contacts, making and breaking experiments were carried on Ag/LSCO(12) contacts prepared by both traditional powder metallurgy method and a modified one in this work. Arc erosion and morphological characters of this two kinds of Ag/LSCO(12) samples were investigated and the erosion mechanisms were also discussed. The results are that seven types of arc erosion morphologies of Ag/LSCO(12) contacts were classified as the lump region, the cauliflower region, the framework structure, holes and cavities, cracks, spongy region and the vestiges of fusant spreading. There are intrinsic links between these morphological characters. The spongy regions and vestiges of fusant spreading on the contact surface of Ag/LSCO(12) prepared by the new method indicates that its resistance to arc erosion is superior to the contacts prepared by traditional method.