A Silver-Based Electrocontact Material Dispersion-Strengthened with Zinc, Tin, and Titanium Oxides

A new silver-based electrocontact material dispersion-strengthened with nanopowders of zinc, tin, and titanium oxides has been obtained. The microstructure and elemental composition of the phases formed during solid-phase sintering and electroerosive tests have been studied by electron microscopy and energy-dispersive microanalysis. The electroerosive wear is determined during laboratory tests, and the transition resistance is calculated. The developed electrocontact material possesses physicomechanical and operating characteristics that are similar to those of a commercial contact prepared using toxic cadmium oxide.