真空断路器CuCr触头材料烧蚀动力学仿真与掺杂设计

doi:10.19595/j.cnki.1000-6753.tces.251116

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Abstract With the development of power system toward high voltage and large current, vacuum circuit breakers, as environmentally friendly control and protection devices, play a vital role in ensuring power transmission safety and improving the reliability of electrical energy delivery. The ablation resistance of traditional CuCr contact materials has become insufficient to meet the demand of severe working conditions. This limitation has emerged as a critical bottleneck restricting the advancement of vacuum circuit breakers. To address this challenge, this dissertation systematically investigates the ablation mechanism and doping-enhanced effects of CuCr contact materials based on the microscopic dynamic simulations of arc ablation on contacts. Furthermore, the non-thermodynamic macroscopic physical parameters of the contact materials are characterized by first principles calculations. Based on the above, a new doping-enhanced design method for ablation-resistant contact materials is proposed to provide theoretical basis and methodological guidance for the development of high-performance contact materials.
Firstly, a microscopic dynamic model of arc ablation was constructed. Crystal models of five CuCr alloys with Cr atom contents ranging from 10% to 50% were generated by using the special quasi-randomized method. These models were then structurally optimized by hybrid Monte Carlo/molecular dynamics (MC/MD) simulations to eliminate the effects of lattice distortion and defects induced by atomic radius differences. Furthermore, a microscopic dynamic model of arc ablation was established based on vacuum arc ablation characteristics. The ablative mass served as a quantitative parameter to characterize ablation resistance, which provides a theoretical foundation for studying the ablation resistance of contact materials and guiding doping-enhanced design.
Subsequently, the microscopic arc ablation mechanism of CuCr contact materials was systematically investigated to guide the doping-enhanced design. The arc ablation simulation results demonstrate that the ablation resistance of CuCr contact materials, primarily influenced by erosion-deposition atoms, exhibits a positive correlation with Cr content. Through simulations of 60 Mo/W-doped CuCr contact materials, Cu₄₇Cr₅₀W₃ was identified as the optimal composition with the highest ablation resistance. Additionally, it was also found that CuCr alloys containing 70%~80% Cu atoms possess the greatest potential for ablation resistance enhancement through doping.
Finally, the non-thermodynamic macrostatic physical parameters of the ablation-resistant CuCr contact materials were characterized. The mechanical properties of CuCr alloys are enhanced with increasing Cr content. However, Cr has been identified as a critical factor in reducing the electrical conductivity of CuCr alloys, as Cr atoms possess numerous s- and p-orbital electrons distributed in energy levels below -40 eV, which exhibit low transition probabilities to the conduction band. Among the screened ablation-resistant doped alloys, Cu₈₇Cr₁₀Mo₃, Cu₈₀Cr₁₈Mo₂ and Cu₆₇Cr₃₀W₃ demonstrate superior properties compared to their matrix alloys in terms of deformation resistance, fusion weld resistance, and hardness. Notably, certain mechanical properties of Cu₆₇Cr₃₀W₃ are now equivalent to those of CuCr₄₀ and CuCr₅₀. Unfavorably, the addition of Mo and W reduces the population of valence band electrons between -10 eV and 0 eV that can participate in conduction, resulting in conductivity that remains predominantly governed by the Cu content. Considering the balance between ablation resistance, mechanical properties, and electrical conductivity, CuCr doped alloys with 70%~80% Cu atoms content demonstrate optimal comprehensive performance. Alloy systems in this range should be the focus of future research on high-performance contact materials.

Key words： Vacuum circuit breaker CuCr alloy ablation resistance molecular dynamics first principles

Received: 25 June 2025

PACS:

TM561.2

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	Feng Dawei
	Liu Tingting
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	Li Zhe
	Liu Xiaoming

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Feng Dawei,Liu Tingting,Fu Xinye等. Simulation on Ablation Dynamics and Doping Design of CuCr Contact Materials for Vacuum Circuit Breakers[J]. Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society, 2026, 41(13): 4538-4553.

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https://dgjsxb.ces-transaction.com/EN/10.19595/j.cnki.1000-6753.tces.251116 OR https://dgjsxb.ces-transaction.com/EN/Y2026/V41/I13/4538

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