Precision-engineered through powder metallurgy, internal oxidation, and cold-heading processes, these silver alloy contact chips function as primary current-carrying and arc-extinguishing elements in low-to-medium voltage electrical equipment. Combining fine silver with dispersion phases like nickel or metal oxides, they deliver low electrical resistance, anti-welding properties, and arc erosion resistance under continuous high-current switching. Available in solid, bimetal, and tri-metal profiles, these chips are tailored for wall switches, relays, microswitches, miniature circuit breakers (MCBs), and industrial pushbuttons.
Material Selection & Performance
AgCdO (88/12, 90/10): Delivers superior anti-welding capabilities and stable contact resistance across heavy-duty AC current interruption.
AgSnO2 (90/10): Environmentally compliant, cadmium-free option with thermal stability, low material transfer, and high arc erosion resistance under inductive loads.
AgNi (90/10, 80/20): High electrical conductivity combined with excellent ductile workability, ideal for medium loads and high switching frequencies.
AgZnO (92/8): Features rapid arc-extinguishing characteristics and low switching noise, suited for household switches and light industrial contactors.
Fine Silver (99.9% Ag) / AgCu: Low initial contact resistance for low-voltage circuits requiring minimum voltage drop and micro-load switching.
Key Technical Specifications
|
Parameter |
Specification Range |
Testing Method |
|
Silver Content Accuracy |
±0.3% from target formulation |
Titration / ICP-OES |
|
Density Range |
9.8 - 10.3 g/cm³ |
Archimedes Method |
|
Electrical Conductivity |
45 - 62 MS/m (78% - 105% IACS) |
Eddy Current Conductivity Meter |
|
Hardness Range |
60 - 140 HV |
Vickers Hardness Test |
|
Dimensional Tolerance |
Outer Diameter: ±0.02 mm | Thickness: ±0.015 mm |
Optical Coordinate Measurement |
|
Bimetal Layer Ratio |
Ag Alloy: 20% - 50% | Cu Base: 50% - 80% |
Metallographic Cross-Section |
|
Interfacial Shear Strength |
≥ 120 MPa |
Destructive Shear Testing |
|
Continuous Current Capacity |
Up to 63 A (surge withstand up to 10 kA) |
Electrical Endurance Testing |
Geometric Profiles & Structural Options
Solid Disc & Square Chips: Thickness from 0.3 mm to 3.5 mm; diameter/width from 1.5 mm to 12.0 mm.
Bimetal Composite Chips: Top Ag alloy layer (0.15–1.2 mm) cold-welded to a Cu base layer (0.3–2.5 mm) to optimize precious metal consumption.
Tri-Metal Strips: Ag alloy / Cu / Ag alloy or Ag alloy / Cu / Ni layered configurations designed for high-speed continuous stamping operations.
Surface Contours: Spherical top radius options from R2.0 mm to R15.0 mm; flat surfaces ground to surface roughness Ra ≤ 0.4 µm.
Brazing-Ready Backings: Reverse side pre-coated with Ag-Cu-Zn solder or a 2.0–5.0 micron pure Ni layer for automated assembly lines.
Engineering Advantages
Arc Thermal Suppression: Dispersed oxide phases absorb energy during contact separation, reducing localized thermal pooling.
Low Operational Resistance: High-purity silver matrix maintains contact resistance below 1.5 micro-ohms under standard test contact pressures.
Anti-Fusing Properties: Composite phase barriers impede surface thermal welding during transient peak overloads or short circuits.
High Operational Endurance: Microstructure-reinforced matrix supports up to 100,000 switching cycles under specified operating and load conditions.
Targeted Applications
Residential & Building Controls: Rocker switches, dimmer modules, wall sockets, light switches.
Industrial Automation: Pushbuttons, limit switches, selector switches, emergency stop controls.
Automotive & Appliance Systems: Power window controls, starter relays, thermostats, microswitches.
Power Protection Equipment: Miniature circuit breakers (MCBs), residual current devices (RCDs), motor starters.
Manufacturing Capabilities & Customization
Tight Precision Tolerances: Sizing available to ±0.008 mm for high-speed automated sorting and assembly equipment.
Microstructure Engineering: Custom oxide particle dispersion (100 nm to 2.0 microns) and Ag percentages from 60% to 99.99%.
Surface Plating Options: Reverse-side silver flash (1.0 - 3.0 µm), nickel undercoating (2.0 - 5.0 µm), or bare bright mill finishes.
Custom CAD Profiles: Custom geometries produced directly from customer STEP, IGES, DXF, or DWG files.
Flexible Cladding Ratios: Silver layer thickness adjustable between 10% and 60% of total component thickness.
Quality Assurance & Testing
Compositional Analysis: Melt lot chemistry verified via Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry.
Microstructure Inspection: Optical metallography verifies oxide particle distribution, grain boundary density, and cladding interface integrity.
Interface Integrity Testing: Mechanical shear tests conducted every 5,000 units to guarantee zero layer delamination.
Ultrasonic Defect Detection: Scanning acoustic microscopy detects internal voids, micro-cracks, or bonding flaws down to 0.05 mm.
100% Optical Sorting: Automated vision systems check dimensions, surface burrs, discoloration, and structural deformation before packing.
Packaging & Logistics
Nitrogen Vacuum Protection: Sealed inside anti-static, moisture-barrier bags filled with inert nitrogen gas to prevent tarnish and oxidation.
Desiccant Integration: Silica gel inserts maintain internal relative humidity below 10% throughout long maritime transit.
Carrier Tape Supply: Available in standard carrier tapes (8 mm - 32 mm) for direct pick-and-place surface mount assembly.
Lot Traceability: Barcoded labels include batch number, heat code, exact dimensions, quantity, and inspection timestamp.
Compliance Documentation: Delivered with full metallurgical inspection certificates complying with international air and sea transport standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
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