INVESTIGATION OF THERMAL PLASMA OF ARC DISCHARGE BETWEEN NOVEL COMPOSITE Cu-W MATERIALS

In this work, the plasma emission of electric arc discharges between pairs of composite Cu-W electrodes was investigated by optical emission spectroscopy. Electrodes manufactured of Cu-W 50 vol.% composite materials by shock sintering technology at temperatures of 750, 850, 950, and 1050°C were used. The radial distributions of plasma temperature were determined by Boltzmann plot technique on the basis of the absolute values of intensity of both copper and tungsten spectral lines. The concentration of metal atoms of electrode origin (copper and tungsten) in the positive plasma column of electric arc discharges between studied electrodes manufactured of composite Cu-W materials was determined by the method of absolute intensities. The intensity of erosion of individual components of composite materials is estimated in an indirect way by comparing the radial distributions of atoms of materials of electrode origin for each type of the investigated arc discharge.