CuCr50Ni₀.₅ Coating

Arc Erosion Resistant

Ni microalloying refines the Cr phase and forms (Cr,Ni) solid solution with Cr₇Ni₃ precipitates, achieving a synergy of high hardness and good conductivity.

Yusen, Duan · Guo, Xiuhua · Feng, Jiang · Zhang, Chaomin · Song, Kexing · Zhihua, Wang · Li, Kai

Materials 2026

Specifications

Microhardness

{'zh': '174.2', 'en': '174.2'} HV₀.₅

Electrical conductivity

{'zh': '29.8', 'en': '29.8'} % IACS

Advantages

Enhanced arc erosion resistance

The refined and well-dispersed Cr phase promotes dynamic movement of the arc root, preventing localized concentrated erosion; the erosion morphology changes from deep pits to uniform shallow features.

Significant hardness improvement

Solid solution strengthening by Ni and nanoscale Cr7Ni3 precipitates raise the microhardness to 174.2 HV0.5, a 149% increase over the copper substrate.

Maintains good conductivity

Despite the Ni addition, the coating retains an electrical conductivity of 29.8% IACS, meeting the conductivity requirements for electrical contact applications.

Applications

• Electrical contact materials：Used to manufacture arc-erosion-resistant, long-life switch and relay contacts, reducing maintenance frequency.
• High-voltage electrical contacts：Can be applied to high-voltage circuit breaker contacts, withstanding arc erosion during interruption without premature failure.