Switching Properties of the Contact Coatings Based on Refractory Metals Alloys

Abstract

Switching the properties of the Ag contact groups of an electromagnetic relay with the electrodeposited Ni-W and Co-W alloy coatings was studied. It is shown that these coatings are able to stabilize the spread of contact resistance within the entire test interval and to increase the service life of Ag contact groups from 2.3 × 106 to 4.5 × 106 commutation cycles. According to our research, the service life of coated contact groups is mainly determined by a change in the surface morphology caused by the electrical erosive transfer of the contact materials and to a lesser extent by the formation of poorly conductive adsorbed hydrocarbon films.