In some embodiments, the effect of uniformly dispersing carbon nanotubes in the material is achieved by including Ag in the carbon nanotubes to suppress the aggregation of carbon nanotubes when the electrical contacts are prepared.

In some embodiments, the effect of uniformly dispersing carbon nanotubes in the material is achieved by including Ag in the carbon nanotubes to suppress the aggregation of carbon nanotubes when the electrical contacts are prepared.

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.

The present invention relates to a self-lubricating coating comprising a dispersion made of nanoparticles containing sulfur that are incorporated into a silver matrix, wherein the nanoparticles containing sulfur have the composition Ag.sub.2S and/or Au.sub.2S. The present invention furthermore relates to a self-lubricating coating comprising a dispersion made of fluorinated graphene, and/or carbon nanotube (CNT), and/or carbon nanoparticles of the formula (CF).sub.x incorporated into a silver matrix, wherein the fluorinated graphene, CNT, or carbon nanoparticles of the formula (CF).sub.x have a fluorine to carbon ratio of 1 to 1.25. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for the fabrication of the coating, and an electrical contact which comprises such a coating.

An improved electrical contact alloy, useful for example, in vacuum interrupters used in vacuum contactors is provided. The contact alloy according to the disclosed concept comprises copper particles and chromium particles present in a ratio of copper to chromium of 2:3 to 20:1. The electrical contact alloy also comprises particles of a carbide, which reduces the weld break strength of the electrical contact alloy without reducing its interruption performance.

An improved electrical contact alloy, useful for example, in vacuum interrupters used in vacuum contactors is provided. The contact alloy according to the disclosed concept comprises copper particles and chromium particles present in a ratio of copper to chromium of 2:3 to 20:1. The electrical contact alloy also comprises particles of a carbide, which reduces the weld break strength of the electrical contact alloy without reducing its interruption performance.

A contact unit for an electromechanical switching device includes a carrier element and a contact element connected to the carrier element. The contact element has a silver-containing layer that provides a contact area for making releasable contact with a further contact area of the switching device depending on a switching state of the switching device. The silver-containing layer includes diamond particles at least in the region of the contact area.

A contact unit for an electromechanical switching device includes a carrier element and a contact element connected to the carrier element. The contact element has a silver-containing layer that provides a contact area for making releasable contact with a further contact area of the switching device depending on a switching state of the switching device. The silver-containing layer includes diamond particles at least in the region of the contact area.

Disclosed are a switch and a manufacturing method thereof. The switch comprises a base substrate; and an electrode disposed on a first surface or a second surface of the base substrate. The flexible electrode includes: a substrate in a range of about 5 to 70 vol %; conductive particles embedded in the substrate in a range of about 29.9 to 94.9 vol %; and a degradation inhibitor in a range of 0.1 to 1 vol %, based on a total of 100 vol % of the electrode. In particular, the substrate of the electrode is flexible and thus the electrode is flexible.

Disclosed are a switch and a manufacturing method thereof. The switch comprises a base substrate; and an electrode disposed on a first surface or a second surface of the base substrate. The flexible electrode includes: a substrate in a range of about 5 to 70 vol %; conductive particles embedded in the substrate in a range of about 29.9 to 94.9 vol %; and a degradation inhibitor in a range of 0.1 to 1 vol %, based on a total of 100 vol % of the electrode. In particular, the substrate of the electrode is flexible and thus the electrode is flexible.