Effects of nickel addition on properties of Ag-W electrical contact materials


Aslanoğlu Z., Karakaş Y., Ovecoglu M. L., Ozkal B.

POWDER METALLURGY, vol.44, no.1, pp.77-81, 2001 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 44 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2001
  • Doi Number: 10.1179/003258901666202
  • Journal Name: POWDER METALLURGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.77-81
  • Istanbul Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Tungsten and silver powders doped with small amounts of nickel were milled in a heavy duty attritor For 150 min to constitute the W-35 wt-%Ap composition. Milled powders were compacted, sintered, furnace cooled, and re-sintered using industrial conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations revealed homogeneous dispersions of silver and tungsten regions both in the as milled powders and the as milled compacts. The X-ray results taken from the milled powders and the as milled compacts showed the presence of the characteristic W and Ag peaks. Bulk hardness values of the sintered compacts increased with increases in nickel additions. the are erosion characteristics of the W-35 wt-%Ag compacts indicated that the erosion rate of the contact material declined with nickel additions. Contact life expectancy increases about 10 fold for the W-35 Wt-%Ag compact containing 1 wt-%Ni from the one with no Ni content.