Abstract:
The bulk Al
2O
3-doped Cu-W alloy,an advanced contact material with compactness over 97% for electrodes of vacuum circuit breaker,were synthesized with Cu-0.4%Al,Cu
2O,W and Cr powders and formed by vacuum sintering.The influence of the W-content and Al
2O
3-doping on the tribological properties,arc-eroded microstructures and arc erosion resistance was investigated with SEM,TEM and EDS.The results show that the W-content and Al
2O
3-doping had a major impact.To be specific,the well-dispersed Al
2O
3-particles significantly enhanced the mechanical strengthen and high temperature resistance of the Cu-base;a higher W-content(an increase from 26.8 wt% to 33.6 wt%) resulted in a lower resistivity,a stronger hardness and a greater resistance against fussing-welding.An arc discharge at 30 V and 30 A brought about fluctuating welding-force,slight mass-loss,and observable formation of micro/nano-structures,including the spherical droplets,ling stripes and coral-like clusters on the arc-eroded surfaces.