The present invention is a clad material for an electric contact, including a base material composed of a Cu-based, precipitation-type age-hardening material, and a contact material composed of an Ag alloy bonded to the base material. On a bonded interface between the contact material and the base material, a width of a diffusion region including Ag and Cu is 2.0 μm or shorter. The clad material is produced by bonding each other the contact material and the base material having undergone solutionizing and age-hardening beforehand, suppressing the diffusion region from expanding after bonding. The present invention is capable of providing an electric contact, which achieves higher conductivity, without sacrificing property of the Cu-based, precipitation-type age-hardening material.

In an electric contact including a base material, high-melting-point substance particles, and an intermetallic compound, the intermetallic compound containing a MnX compound (X represents Te or Se) and a compound of a Mn—Cu solid-solution phase and X, is dispersed in the base material. If the Vickers hardness of the high-melting-point substance particles is higher than 0 Hv and lower than 200 Hv, the particle diameter of the high-melting-point substance particles is not smaller than 0.1 μm and not larger than 100 μm. If the Vickers hardness of the high-melting-point substance particles is 200 Hv or higher, the particle diameter is not smaller than 0.1 μm and not larger than 10 μm. The mass of X atoms is not lower than 1.5 mass % and not higher than 15 mass %. The atomic weight ratio Mn/(Mn+X) is not lower than 20 at % and not higher than 80 at %.

An electrical contact material (10) having: a conductive substrate (1) formed from copper or a copper alloy; a first intermediate layer (2) provided on the conductive substrate (1); a second intermediate layer (3) provided on the first intermediate layer (2); and an outermost layer (4) formed from tin or a tin alloy and provided on the second intermediate layer (3), wherein the first intermediate layer (2) is constructed as one layer of grains extending from the conductive substrate (1) side to the second intermediate layer (3) side, and wherein, in the first intermediate layer (2), the density of grain boundaries (5b) extending in a direction in which the angle formed by the grain boundary in interest and the interface between the conductive substrate and the first intermediate layer is 45° or greater, is 4 μm/μm.sup.2 or less; a method of producing the same; and a terminal.

An electrical contact material (10) having: a conductive substrate (1) formed from copper or a copper alloy; a first intermediate layer (2) provided on the conductive substrate (1); a second intermediate layer (3) provided on the first intermediate layer (2); and an outermost layer (4) formed from tin or a tin alloy and provided on the second intermediate layer (3), wherein the first intermediate layer (2) is constructed as one layer of grains extending from the conductive substrate (1) side to the second intermediate layer (3) side, and wherein, in the first intermediate layer (2), the density of grain boundaries (5b) extending in a direction in which the angle formed by the grain boundary in interest and the interface between the conductive substrate and the first intermediate layer is 45° or greater, is 4 μm/μm.sup.2 or less; a method of producing the same; and a terminal.

Various embodiments include a method for manufacturing a contact component for an electrical switch with a contact surface for closing in electrical contact comprising manufacturing the contact component at least partially using a powder. At least two powder types are used to create different material compositions in the contact component. Manufacturing the contact component include using an additive fabrication process based on a powder bed. The contact component includes a sequence of layers. At least two of the layers include different powder types.

Various embodiments include a method for manufacturing a contact component for an electrical switch with a contact surface for closing in electrical contact comprising manufacturing the contact component at least partially using a powder. At least two powder types are used to create different material compositions in the contact component. Manufacturing the contact component include using an additive fabrication process based on a powder bed. The contact component includes a sequence of layers. At least two of the layers include different powder types.

A progressively contacting switch includes a set of contacts connected to an input. The set includes a first sacrificial contact formed of a first metal and a first conducting contact formed of a second metal. The switch further includes a movable set of contacts connected to an output. The movable set includes a second sacrificial contact formed of the first metal and a second conducting contact formed of the second metal. The switch includes an element configurable to connect the movable set of contacts such that the first sacrificial contact connects to the second sacrificial contact at a first time, thereby causing a current to flow from the input to the output, and while the first sacrificial contact remains connected to the second sacrificial contact, the first conducting contact connects with the second conducting contact at a later time.

A progressively contacting switch includes a set of contacts connected to an input. The set includes a first sacrificial contact formed of a first metal and a first conducting contact formed of a second metal. The switch further includes a movable set of contacts connected to an output. The movable set includes a second sacrificial contact formed of the first metal and a second conducting contact formed of the second metal. The switch includes an element configurable to connect the movable set of contacts such that the first sacrificial contact connects to the second sacrificial contact at a first time, thereby causing a current to flow from the input to the output, and while the first sacrificial contact remains connected to the second sacrificial contact, the first conducting contact connects with the second conducting contact at a later time.

A switching device is disclosed. In an embodiment a switching device includes at least one fixed contact and at least one movable contact, wherein at least one of the contacts includes a metal matrix composite material having a metallic matrix material and a filler dispersed within the matrix material, and wherein the contacts are arranged in a switching chamber with a gas and the gas contains H2.

A switching device is disclosed. In an embodiment a switching device includes at least one fixed contact and at least one movable contact, wherein at least one of the contacts includes a metal matrix composite material having a metallic matrix material and a filler dispersed within the matrix material, and wherein the contacts are arranged in a switching chamber with a gas and the gas contains H2.