NDLI: Effect of Arcing in Air on the Photoelectric Work Function of Silver-Based Contacts

Content Provider	IEEE Xplore Digital Library
Author	Akbi, M.
Copyright Year	1973
Abstract	In this paper, we report new photoelectric measurements that throw light on the effect of arcing in air on the electron work function (EWF) of contact pastilles made of pure silver [Ag (99.999%)], silver–nickel alloy [Ag–Ni (60/40)], silver–tungsten alloy [Ag–W (50/50)], and silver–tungsten carbide [Ag–WC (50/50)]. The influence of industrial treatment (polishing, mechanical shocks, and electrical arcs in air) of pure metals and silver–metal alloys on their EWF is experimentally investigated. To study the effects of arcing on the EWF, the metallic samples were subjected to electrical arcs in air, at atmospheric pressure, and room temperature, after that, they have been introduced into the vacuum chamber of an experimental ultrahigh vacuum setup for EWF measurements. Fowler’s method of isothermal curves was used for the measurement of the EWF by the photoelectric effect. Contacts were mounted in a contactor working repetitively in air (laboratory atmosphere). A cycle of arcing consisted in opening contacts on charging, with production of an electric arc with adjustable duration, and closing a few seconds after arc extinction at zero voltage. When subjected to 500 arcs, the EWF for Ag contacts is 4.50 ± 0.03 eV at room temperature, while for virgin Ag contacts, it was 4.30±0.03 eV. The increase in the EWF is due to the progressive inclusion of silver oxide in the Ag contact surface during arcing in air. The conditioned (500 arcs) silver–metal alloys studied in this paper exhibit the same electronic emission behavior, namely, arcing in air increases their EWF. We demonstrated that the electromechanical conditioning by successive electrical arcs affects the photo-EWF.
Sponsorship	IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society
Starting Page	637
Ending Page	642
Page Count	6
File Size	1009440
File Format	PDF
ISSN	00933813
Volume Number	43
Issue Number	2
Language	English
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Publisher Date	2015-01-01
Publisher Place	U.S.A.
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Rights Holder	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subject Keyword	Contacts Temperature measurement Materials Cathodes Silver Atmospheric measurements photoemission. Cathode phenomena contact materials electrical arcs electron work function (EWF) Fowler's method
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Nuclear and High Energy Physics Condensed Matter Physics

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