On the application of W/Cu materials in the fields of power engineering and plasma technology

Due to their special combination of properties, materials based W/Cu are widely applicable as contacts and electrode materials in power engineering and plasma technology. By means of varying microstructure and tungsten content, as well as by introducing suitable additives, it is possible to optimize the material for quite a number of specialized tasks. The ways to influence the switching properties or the discharge behavior, respectively, are demonstrated with the aid of experimental results obtained in various applications of tungsten-copper materials. Some typical properties of W/Cu materials with different tungsten contents are given. Each type of application has its own characteristic parameters which may lead to different types of stress on the electrode material. Typical ranges of voltage, current, and arcing time are given for various fields of application of W/Cu materials. The examples from the applications discussed demonstrate the wide range of applicability of W/Cu materials as electrode materials. The basis for the advantageous properties of W/Cu is provided by the combination of the properties of the main constituents