Electrical Contact Composite With Reduced Silver Content
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of silver-based electrical contact materials used in power equipment products due to their high silver content, which affects the economic efficiency and requires new technologies to reduce silver content while maintaining electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties.
Innovation Solution
A composite material for electrical contacts comprising silver powder, a metal-based powder, and an Ag/C composite powder with carbon-based nanofillers, where the Ag/C composite powder is prepared by low and high energy milling, and the mixture is processed through sintering, rolling, or extrusion to achieve optimal properties with reduced silver content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high silver content is used in electrical contact material, then excellent electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity are achieved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining silver powder with metal-based powders (Ni, W, WC) and Ag/C composite powder containing carbon-based nanofillers. This composite approach maintains excellent electrical conductivity (40-60% IACS) and thermal conductivity while reducing silver content from traditional 80-90% to 60-70%, thereby lowering manufacturing cost without sacrificing performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the compositional parameters of electrical contact material by optimizing the ratios of silver powder (60-70 wt%), metal-based powder (10-30 wt%), and Ag/C composite powder (1-10 wt%). This parameter optimization allows reduction of silver content while maintaining required electrical and thermal properties through the synergistic effect of composite components
2Ease of manufacture
If silver content is reduced to lower cost, then manufacturing cost decreases, but electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials where silver powder is combined with metal-based powders (Ni, W, WC) and Ag/C composite powder. The carbon-based nanofillers (graphene, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes) form conductive networks that enhance electrical conductivity (40-60% IACS) and thermal conductivity while allowing silver content reduction to 60-70%, thus maintaining reliability at lower cost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating carbon-based nanofillers specifically into the silver matrix to create Ag/C composite powder with enhanced local conductivity. The nanofillers are distributed throughout the silver matrix to provide conductive pathways, ensuring that electrical and thermal conductivity are maintained even with reduced overall silver content
3Ease of manufacture
If silver content is reduced to lower cost, then manufacturing cost decreases, but mechanical properties may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials combining silver powder with metal-based powders (Ni, W, WC) that have high strength and hardness. These reinforcement particles form a composite structure that improves mechanical properties including hardness (70-120 HV), tensile strength, and wear resistance, while allowing silver content reduction to 60-70% for lower cost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating metal-based powder particles (Ni, W, WC) as reinforcement phases within the silver matrix. These localized reinforcement regions provide enhanced mechanical strength and hardness to compensate for the reduced silver content, maintaining required mechanical properties at lower overall silver concentration
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite material achieves significant reduction in silver content while maintaining excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and mechanical properties, thereby enhancing economic efficiency and reducing production costs for power equipment products.
Implementation Method 1
the Ag/C composite powder may be a material integrated by incorporating and dispersing carbon-based nanofillers in the Ag powder
Implementation Method 2
preparing a workpiece by sintering, rolling, or extruding the mixed powder
Implementation Method 3
preparing a workpiece by sintering, rolling, or extruding the mixed powder
Implementation Method 4
preparing a workpiece by sintering, rolling, or extruding the mixed powder
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an electrical contact material that is a contact element that plays a role of blocking or allowing the flow of an electric circuit to pass through, and relates to an electrical contact composite material that satisfies the physical properties required to use as an electrical contact while reducing Ag content, and a method for manufacturing the same.