Synthesis and densification of tungsten-silica composites: R.M.German. (Pennsylvania State University, USA.)

Abstract

Two series of static-gap, single-spark erosion experiments were conducted using a pin cathode and a number of anode materials. In one series of experiments, Ag-CdO anodes were tested at various spark energies. In another series, various pure metal anodes, covering a wide range of melting temperatures, were tested with a 0.1 J spark. In both cases shallow erosion craters were produced on the anode surfaces, and the erosion mechanism was identified as melt-splashing. The crater volume was compared with several physical properties of the anode materials. It was found that the erosion volume correlates well with the melting temperature and the enthalpy of melting per unit volume, but not with thermal diffusivity. The erosion efficiencies were in the range 0.1%–8.6%. The static-gap, single-spark test is a simple, expeditious test for comparing the erosion behavior of electric contact materials.