Targeting the demand for highly stable switching devices in modern power systems, this study developed novel graphene-copper (Gr/Cu) contacts via an integrated process combining chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for in-situ graphene growth with powder metallurgy involving hot pressing and extrusion. The uniform dispersion of few-layer, high-quality graphene along copper grain boundaries imparts exceptional electrical conductivity to the contact material, achieving a resistivity of 1.72 μΩ·cm and representing a 19.6% reduction compared to conventional Cu-based contacts. Endurance testing over 10000 switching cycles demonstrated that the graphene coating effectively blocks oxygen diffusion. Consequently, the Gr/Cu contacts exhibited 20–30% less material loss than conventional Cu-based contacts. Their arc erosion resistance significantly outperformed both silver-graphite and conventional copper-based contacts. These results establish the Gr/Cu contacts as a high-performance, cost-effective alternative for low-voltage circuit breakers rated above 16A.

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Development of Novel Arc-Erosion-Resistant Circuit Breakers Utilizing Graphene-Copper Contacts

  • Wenjie Liu,
  • Zeyi Wang,
  • Yu Ma,
  • Yi Ding,
  • Hanxing Cao,
  • Xingyu Zhao,
  • Jiexin Zhang

摘要

Targeting the demand for highly stable switching devices in modern power systems, this study developed novel graphene-copper (Gr/Cu) contacts via an integrated process combining chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for in-situ graphene growth with powder metallurgy involving hot pressing and extrusion. The uniform dispersion of few-layer, high-quality graphene along copper grain boundaries imparts exceptional electrical conductivity to the contact material, achieving a resistivity of 1.72 μΩ·cm and representing a 19.6% reduction compared to conventional Cu-based contacts. Endurance testing over 10000 switching cycles demonstrated that the graphene coating effectively blocks oxygen diffusion. Consequently, the Gr/Cu contacts exhibited 20–30% less material loss than conventional Cu-based contacts. Their arc erosion resistance significantly outperformed both silver-graphite and conventional copper-based contacts. These results establish the Gr/Cu contacts as a high-performance, cost-effective alternative for low-voltage circuit breakers rated above 16A.