Laser fabrication of W-reinforced Cu layers : II. Electrical wear behavior in air and synthetic acid rain

Abstract

In order to enhance the electrical sliding wear resistance and hence the lifespan of cp Cu for applications in electrical contacts, W-reinforced Cu layers were fabricated by laser surface modification on cp Cu. Compared with cp Cu, the hardness of the laser-fabricated layers with 55–60 wt% W was improved from 70 to 150 HV0.2 while electrical wear resistances in dry and wet conditions were improved by 3 orders of magnitude despite the increase in the interfacial contact resistance of the layers. The main contribution of electrical wear in synthetic acid rain is mechanical wear, with contribution of corrosion-wear synergism up to 32.8%, while corrosion alone is negligible.