Research on the Surface Profiles and Arc Erosion of Silver-Based Contact Materials of LV Switching Device at 400Hz

According to the main technical parameters of Intermediate frequency (IF, range from 100Hz to 10,000Hz) electrical equipments, a variable-frequency and stabilized current experimental power source system with continuously adjustable output frequency and stationary output current is produced in this paper, and the rig of an arc erosion test research with computer testing system of IF and LV switching device contact materials is built, the make-and-break tests of five silver-based (AgW₅₀, CAgC₄, AgNi₁₀, AgSnO₂ In₂O₃ and CAgCdO₁₅) contact materials on the condition of small current at 400Hz are simulated, the parameters of the five silver-based electrical contact material samples at 400Hz are acquired. The arc characteristic relationships of the five materials at 400Hz are compared and analyzed. By electricity-ray analytical balance, SEM and EDAX, it tests the weights of each silver-based contact material sample, observes and analyses the changes of silver-based contact materials´ surface profile and micro-area constituent at 400Hz. It also discusses the characteristics of erosion resistence and anti-welding of Ag-based contact materials at 400Hz.