Synthesis and Processing Techniques of Tungsten Copper Composite Powders for Electrical Contact Materials A Review

Abstract

This review presents a general survey on synthesis and processing techniques of tungsten copper (W-Cu) composite powders for achieving electrical contact materials for power engineering applications. Several chemical and mechano-chemical synthesis methods for obtaining W-Cu composite powders in nano or micro scales from various W and Cu metal salt precursors combined with hydrogen reduction or nitridation-denitridation processes are reported along with powder metallurgy (PM) techniques employed in manufacturing W-Cu electrical contact materials. The main advantages and disadvantages of synthesis and processing techniques are summarized, too. The interdepencies among the properties of starting materials and final products in relation with synthesis and processing parameters are highlighted. The review reveals that the development of W-Cu advanced materials with improved properties and scale-up potential is of a great interest in practical applications related to materials science and engineering field.