Enhancement of Arc Erosion Resistance in AgCuO Electrical Contact Materials through Rare Earth Element Doping: First-Principles and Experimental Studies

Abstract

To investigate the stability and electrical and physical properties of undoped CuO and CuO doped with rare earth elements, electronic structures and elastic constants were calculated using first-principles density functional theory. Additionally, experimental verification was carried out on AgCuO and AgCuO-X (La, Ce, Y) electrical contacts, which were prepared using sol–gel and powder metallurgy methods. The contacts were tested under an 18 V/15 A DC resistive load using the JF04D contact material testing system. Arc parameters were analyzed, and three-dimensional surface profilometry and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the altered erosion morphology of the electrically contacted materials; moreover, the potential mechanisms behind their arc erosion behavior were investigated in depth. The results demonstrate that the doping of rare earth elements can improve the electrical conductivity and physical properties of the contacts, optimize the arc parameters, and enhance their resistance to arc erosion. Notably, AgCuO-Ce exhibited the highest electrical conductivity and the least amount of material transfer; moreover, it had excellent arc time and energy parameters, resulting in the best resistance to arc erosion. This study provides a theoretical basis for the screening of doping elements to enhance the performance of AgCuO contact materials and offers new ideas and scientific references for this field.

Recent Advances in Novel Compositions for Electrochemical Applications

“…H. Wang and colleagues embarked on a pioneering exploration aimed at enhancing the arc erosion resistance of AgCuO electrical contact materials through the strategic incorporation of rare earth elements [30]. This comprehensive investigation leveraged a synergistic approach, combining first-principle calculations with a suite of experimental techniques.…”

“…This collection of articles presents extensive research and discoveries that leverage various morphologies of electrochemical compositions, emphasizing their multifunctional properties, such as advanced redox properties [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]. The published articles range from the drug design and synthesis of hybrids of sterically hindered phenols and diaryl ureas [31] to sophisticated studies on the enhancement of arc erosion resistance in AgCuO electrical contact materials [30].…”

“…This collection of articles presents extensive research and discoveries that leverage various morphologies of electrochemical compositions, emphasizing their multifunctional properties, such as advanced redox properties [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]. The published articles range from the drug design and synthesis of hybrids of sterically hindered phenols and diaryl ureas [31] to sophisticated studies on the enhancement of arc erosion resistance in AgCuO electrical contact materials [30]. Other notable topics include in-depth research on chemical and electrochemical reductions of monoiminoacenaphthenes [29], investigations on conductive mediators based on ferrocene functionalized phosphonium ionic liquids [26], and critical assessments of salt stress based on innovative electrochemical sensor detection methodologies [24].…”