Fabrication and Arc Erosion Behavior of Ag-SnO2-ZnO Electrical Contact Materials

Abstract

This study investigated the synthesis of Ag-SnO2-ZnO by powder metallurgy methods and their subsequent electrical contact behavior. The pieces of Ag-SnO2-ZnO were prepared by ball milling and hot pressing. The arc erosion behavior of the material was evaluated using homemade equipment. The microstructure and phase evolution of the materials were investigated through X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that, although the mass loss of the Ag-SnO2-ZnO composite (9.08 mg) during the electrical contact test was higher than that of the commercial Ag-CdO (1.42 mg), its electrical conductivity remained constant (26.9 ± 1.5% IACS). This fact would be related to the reaction of Zn2SnO4’s formation on the material’s surface via electric arc. This reaction would play an important role in controlling the surface segregation and subsequent loss of electrical conductivity of this type of composite, thus enabling the development of a new electrical contact material to replace the non-environmentally friendly Ag-CdO composite.

Influence of Heat Treatment Condition on the Microstructure, Microhardness and Corrosion Resistance of Ag-Sn-In-Ni-Te Alloy Wire

“…This is attributed to the aggregation of SnO 2 particles on the contact surface over extended periods of use; this is a consequence of the limited wettability between SnO 2 and Ag. During the past decade, various nonmetals, metals or metallic oxides—including N [ 21 ], F [ 22 ], Cr [ 7 ], Ni [ 21 ], Cu [ 23 ], Y [ 24 ], Bi [ 25 ], La [ 26 ], Ce [ 27 ], Gd [ 28 ], CuO [ 29 ], Cu 2 O [ 30 ], NiO [ 31 ], ZnO [ 32 ], TiO 2 [ 33 ], WO 3 [ 34 ], Bi 2 O 3 [ 33 ], In 2 O 3 [ 35 ] and La 2 O 3 [ 36 ]—have been employed as additives to enhance the anti-arc erosion behavior, mechanical properties and conductivity of AgSnO 2 contact material. Among these additives, the addition of In 2 O 3 demonstrated remarkable enhancements in the ultimate strength and elasticity moduli of AgSnO 2 contact materials, along with improvements in cyclic creep behavior.…”

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

“…Electrical contacts are essential components in a wide range of electrical and electronic equipment and play a critical role in ensuring the stability, reliability, and longevity of electrical systems [ 1 , 2 ]. However, during their service life, electrical contacts are subject to various physical and chemical erosion processes such as high temperatures, welding, wear, and arc discharge [ 3 , 4 , 5 ].…”

Powder Metallurgy: Materials and Processing

“…The SI consists of 16 papers (published between 2022 and 2023): a review article [ 1 ], a viewpoint paper [ 2 ], a communication [ 3 ], and thirteen research articles [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. The papers reflect the current trends in the field: the search for new compositions (not investigated previously) of materials and the development of new processing approaches enabling better control and flexibility of the materials’ microstructures, shapes, and architectures.…”

“…The research papers report recent findings in metallic [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ], ceramic [ 10 , 11 , 12 ], polymer [ 3 ], and composite materials [ 3 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”

“…Significant attention is given to composites with novel compositions. Guzmán et al [ 13 ] presented the synthesis of Ag-SnO 2 -ZnO via powder metallurgy (ball milling and hot pressing) and the electrical contact behavior of the composites. The developed materials are thought to be able to replace non-environmentally friendly Ag-CdO.…”