Low-Temperature Sintering and Infiltration of High-W Contacts

AgW materials exhibit excellent properties and are widely used as contact materials in low- and medium-voltage switches. In this study, a pre-sintering and infiltration method was employed to pre-sinter W powder with Cu, Ni, and (Cu+Ni) additions in the low temperature range of 950–1050 °C. The low-...

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Main Authors: Jincheng Zhao, Ming Xie, Hongmei Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/17/9608
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author Jincheng Zhao
Ming Xie
Hongmei Li
author_facet Jincheng Zhao
Ming Xie
Hongmei Li
author_sort Jincheng Zhao
collection DOAJ
description AgW materials exhibit excellent properties and are widely used as contact materials in low- and medium-voltage switches. In this study, a pre-sintering and infiltration method was employed to pre-sinter W powder with Cu, Ni, and (Cu+Ni) additions in the low temperature range of 950–1050 °C. The low-temperature sintering behaviours of W skeletons with different additives were investigated. Subsequently, AgW (70 wt%), AgW (75 wt%), AgW (80 wt%), and AgW (85 wt%) materials were prepared through infiltration at 1050 °C. The microstructure morphology and physical properties of high-W contact materials were investigated using a metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope. The mechanism of low-temperature sintering–infiltration of high-W contact materials was elucidated. The results indicate that pure W and 1% Cu-added W skeletons experience minimal linear shrinkage within the temperature range of 950–1050 °C. The linear shrinkage curves of W skeletons with different additives coincided under the conditions of 950–1000 °C/90 min. At 1050 °C, after sintering for 150 min, the particle boundaries in the W skeleton were fully spheroidised, with a dihedral angle of 120°. At 1050 °C and after 150 min of infiltration, cross-sectional micrographs of the AgW material revealed the presence of irregular Ni layers, where Ni spatially enveloped/encapsulated Ag. With an increase in the W content, the electrical conductivity and relative density of AgW (70–85) materials decreased, whereas the hardness of the materials increased.
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spelling doaj.art-0c4b7debbdf7468b9d29a0ef457f3f1c2023-11-19T07:49:23ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-08-011317960810.3390/app13179608Low-Temperature Sintering and Infiltration of High-W ContactsJincheng Zhao0Ming Xie1Hongmei Li2School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies for Comprehensive Utilization of Platinum Metals, Kunming Institute of Precious Metals, Kunming 650106, ChinaSchool of Chemistry, Biology and Environment, Yuxi Normal University, Yuxi 653100, ChinaAgW materials exhibit excellent properties and are widely used as contact materials in low- and medium-voltage switches. In this study, a pre-sintering and infiltration method was employed to pre-sinter W powder with Cu, Ni, and (Cu+Ni) additions in the low temperature range of 950–1050 °C. The low-temperature sintering behaviours of W skeletons with different additives were investigated. Subsequently, AgW (70 wt%), AgW (75 wt%), AgW (80 wt%), and AgW (85 wt%) materials were prepared through infiltration at 1050 °C. The microstructure morphology and physical properties of high-W contact materials were investigated using a metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope. The mechanism of low-temperature sintering–infiltration of high-W contact materials was elucidated. The results indicate that pure W and 1% Cu-added W skeletons experience minimal linear shrinkage within the temperature range of 950–1050 °C. The linear shrinkage curves of W skeletons with different additives coincided under the conditions of 950–1000 °C/90 min. At 1050 °C, after sintering for 150 min, the particle boundaries in the W skeleton were fully spheroidised, with a dihedral angle of 120°. At 1050 °C and after 150 min of infiltration, cross-sectional micrographs of the AgW material revealed the presence of irregular Ni layers, where Ni spatially enveloped/encapsulated Ag. With an increase in the W content, the electrical conductivity and relative density of AgW (70–85) materials decreased, whereas the hardness of the materials increased.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/17/9608W skeletonpre-sintering and infiltration methodlinear shrinkagedihedral angleAgW contact material
spellingShingle Jincheng Zhao
Ming Xie
Hongmei Li
Low-Temperature Sintering and Infiltration of High-W Contacts
Applied Sciences
W skeleton
pre-sintering and infiltration method
linear shrinkage
dihedral angle
AgW contact material
title Low-Temperature Sintering and Infiltration of High-W Contacts
title_full Low-Temperature Sintering and Infiltration of High-W Contacts
title_fullStr Low-Temperature Sintering and Infiltration of High-W Contacts
title_full_unstemmed Low-Temperature Sintering and Infiltration of High-W Contacts
title_short Low-Temperature Sintering and Infiltration of High-W Contacts
title_sort low temperature sintering and infiltration of high w contacts
topic W skeleton
pre-sintering and infiltration method
linear shrinkage
dihedral angle
AgW contact material
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/17/9608
work_keys_str_mv AT jinchengzhao lowtemperaturesinteringandinfiltrationofhighwcontacts
AT mingxie lowtemperaturesinteringandinfiltrationofhighwcontacts
AT hongmeili lowtemperaturesinteringandinfiltrationofhighwcontacts