Arc erosion behavior of Ag/Ti3AlC2 electrical contact materials

Ti3AlC2 (TAC) has the potential to replace CdO as the reinforcement in Ag matrix for applications in electrical contacts. The arc erosion behavior of Ag/10 wt%Ti3AlC2 (Ag/10TAC), Ag/20 wt%Ti3AlC2 (Ag/20TAC) and commercial Ag/CdO contact materials were investigated under 100 A/400 V/AC. The morphology, the microstructure, the thickness loss, and the mass loss of the materials were investigated. The Ag/10TAC contact demonstrated comparable arc resistance to the Ag/CdO. The Ag/20TAC demonstrated severe arc erosion. The arc erosion mechanism for the Ag/TAC composites was proposed. The good wettability between the Ag and the TAC restricted the flow and splash of Ag in the molten pool, which strengthened the resistance to arc erosion.