Investigation of electrical properties of oxide reinforced copper composite produced by mechanical alloying

ABSTRACTMaster ThesisINVESTIGATION OF ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF OXIDE REINFORCED COPPERCOMPOSITE PRODUCED BY MECHANICAL ALLOYINGÖmer GÜLERFırat UniversityGraduate School of Natural and Applied SciencesDepartment of Metallurgical and Materials EngineeringThis study was investigated the electrical performance of Cu-based contactmaterials produced by mechanical alloying (MA). Cu based powder mixtures that containvarious oxides at the various proportions were high energy ball milled by the planetary ballmilling for 5 hours. MA?ed powder mixtures contain ZnO, Al2O3 and Y2O3 at the ratios of 1(wt) % , 2 (wt) % , 4 (wt) % and 6 (wt) % , subsequently, powders were pressed and sintered at800 ºC in vacuum environment. Then these compacts were forged at the ratio of 75 % at 650 ºCso as to increase density. Electrical conductivity investigations were exposed to these samplesfor the best conductivity. Results showed that % 4 oxides reinforced samples exhibited the bestvalue. After that turn on/off experiments were made to these samples for determining contactperformance for the count of 3000, 6000 and 9000.Finally, the samples ( 4 (wt) % ZnO, 4 (wt) % Al2O3, 4 (wt) % Y2O3 respectively)reinforce Cu materials exhibited both the best conductivity and the best contact performances.Keyword: Mechanical Alloying, Electrical Contact Materials, Copper