A contact member according to the present invention includes: a contact layer composed of a plate-shaped porous body containing a high-melting-point metal as a main constituent and infiltrated with an infiltrant containing a low-melting-point metal as a main constituent; a contact-layer supporting part composed of the infiltrant; and a contact-part holding conductor composed of the infiltrant, wherein, the porous body is provided with an opening at the center of the contact layer and a portion from the opening to the contact-part holding conductor is continuously and integrally molded with the infiltrant.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an electrode material (1), wherein the electrode material includes: a center part (2) containing Cu, Cr and a heat resistant element and having superior large-current interruption and capacitor switching capabilities; and an outer circumferential part (3) disposed on an outer circumference of the center part (2). The outer circumferential part (3) contains Cu and Cr and has superior withstand voltage capability. The electrode material (1) is manufactured by molding a solid solution powder of Cr and the heat resistant element, molding a Cr powder integrally around an outer circumference of the molded body of the solid solution powder and infiltrating the integrally molded body with Cu etc.

A contact assembly for an electrical device and a method for making such an assembly are presented. The contact assembly comprises a substrate and a contact material disposed on the substrate. The contact material comprises a composite material comprising a refractory material and a matrix material. The matrix material has a higher ductility than the refractory material. The composite material further comprises a core region and an outer region bounding the core region, the core region having a higher concentration of the refractory material than the outer region. The method applies cold spraying a blended feedstock to produce a layer that includes the composite material described above..

In some embodiments, a method is provided that includes (1) providing aluminum; (2) providing carbon nanotube material; (3) combining the aluminum and carbon nanotube material to form a current-carrying, aluminum-carbon-nanotube component of an electrical switch device; and (4) assembling the electrical switch device using the aluminum-carbon-nanotube component. The aluminum-carbon-nanotube component is formed so as to have at least one of lower electrical resistivity and greater thermal conductivity than a component formed of aluminum without carbon nanotube material. Numerous other embodiments are provided.

A material and method for manufacturing an Ag-based electrical contact material includes synthesizing an intermetallic compound of Me.sub.xSn.sub.y type; ball milling the intermetallic compound; mixing the so obtained intermetallic compound powder with silver powder; packing the mixed powders into a green body; and forming a MeO-SnO.sub.2 cluster structure by internally oxidizing the intermetallic compound Me.sub.xSn.sub.y while sintering the green body.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an electrode material (1), wherein the electrode material includes: a center part (2) containing Cu, Cr and a heat resistant element and having superior large-current interruption and capacitor switching capabilities; and an outer circumferential part (3) disposed on an outer circumference of the center part (2). The outer circumferential part (3) contains Cu and Cr and has superior withstand voltage capability. The electrode material (1) is manufactured by molding a solid solution powder of Cr and the heat resistant element, molding a Cr powder integrally around an outer circumference of the molded body of the solid solution powder and infiltrating the integrally molded body with Cu etc.

It is a method for manufacturing an electrode material containing Cu, Cr, a heat-resistant element, and a low melting metal. A Cr powder and a heat-resistant element powder are mixed together in a ratio such that the Cr is greater than the heat-resistant element by weight. The mixed powder of the heat-resistant element and the Cr powder is baked. A MoCr solid solution obtained by the baking and containing a solid solution of the heat-resistant element and the Cr is pulverized and then classified. The classified MoCr solid solution powder, a Cu powder, and a low-melting metal powder are mixed together, followed by sintering at a temperature that is 1010 C. or higher and is lower than 1038 C., thereby obtaining the electrode material.

An embodiment of the invention relates to a contact pin for an electric switch. The contact pin is designed as a composite support.

The present disclosure aims to provide an electrical contact to which a low boiling point metal is added, the electrical contact being able secure both mechanical strength and conductivity at the same time. The electrical contact according to the present disclosure includes a base material made of Cu, particles of a high melting point substance dispersed in the base material, the particles being made of at least one of a high melting point metal or a carbide of the high melting point metal, and Te and Ti dispersed in the base material, wherein, the Te of 3.5 to 14.5 mass % is added where the total is 100 mass %, and Ti/Te is 0.12 to 0.38.

A contact assembly for an electrical device and a method for making such an assembly are presented. The contact assembly comprises a substrate and a contact material disposed on the substrate. The contact material comprises a composite material comprising a refractory material and a matrix material. The matrix material has a higher ductility than the refractory material. The composite material further comprises a core region and an outer region bounding the core region, the core region having a higher concentration of the refractory material than the outer region. The method applies cold spraying a blended feedstock to produce a layer that includes the composite material described above.