First-Principles and Experimental Study of Ge, V, Ta-Doped AgNi Electrical Contact Materials

To explore the stability, electrical, and mechanical characteristics of undoped AgNi alongside AgNi doped with elemental Ge, V, and Ta, we performed calculations on their electronic structures using density functional theory from first-principles. We also prepared AgNi(17) and AgNi-x(Ge, V, Ta) electrical contact materials using the powder metallurgy technique, and they were subsequently assessed experimentally. The electrical properties of these materials were evaluated under a 24 V/15 A DC-resistive load using the JF04D contact material testing system. A three-dimensional morphology scanner was employed to examine the contact surface and investigate the erosion patterns of the materials. Our findings indicate that doping with metal elements significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of electrical contacts, including conductivity and hardness, and optimizes arc parameters while improving resistance to arc erosion. Notably, AgNi-Ge demonstrated superior conductivity and arc erosion resistance, showing significant improvements over the undoped AgNi contacts. This research provides a theoretical foundation for selecting doping elements aimed at enhancing the performance of AgNi electrical contact materials.