# US 10,766,069 B2 · Method for manufacturing electrode material

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- Number: US 10,766,069 B2
- Document ID: US10766069B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/307,538
- Filed: 2017-03-15
- Published: 2019-10-03
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-08
- Assignees: Meidensha Corporation
- Applicants: Meidensha Corporation
- Inventors: Shota Hayashi; Keita Ishikawa; Kenta Yamamura; Kosuke Hasegawa; Hideaki Fukuda; Akira Sano
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766069B2

## CPC

- H01H 33/66: Vacuum switches
- B22F 1/00: Metallic powder; Treatment of metallic powder, e.g. to facilitate working or to improve properties
- B22F 1/052: characterised by a mixture of particles of different sizes or by the particle size distribution
- B22F 1/09: {Mixtures of metallic powders}
- B22F 3/10: Sintering only
- B22F 3/1007: {Atmosphere (B22F3/1021 takes precedence)}
- B22F 3/1035: {Liquid phase sintering}
- B22F 3/24: After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)}
- B22F 5/00: Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the special shape of the product
- B22F 9/08: by casting, e.g. through sieves or in water, by atomising or spraying (using electric discharge B22F9/14)
- C22C 9/00: Alloys based on copper
- C22C 27/06: Alloys based on chromium
- C22C 30/02: containing copper
- H01H 1/0206: {containing as major components Cu and Cr}
- H01H 1/025: having copper as the basic material
- H01H 33/662: Housings or protective screens
- H01H 33/664: Contacts; Arc-extinguishing means, e.g. arcing rings
- B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)

## Abstract

There is disclosed a method for manufacturing an electrode by pressing and sintering a mixed powder of a solid solution powder of Cr and a heat-resistant element, which contains Cr and the heat-resistant element in a ratio such that Cr is greater than the heat-resistant element by weight, a Cu powder, and a low melting metal powder (Bi, Sn, Se, Pb, etc.). The low melting metal powder of 0.30 weight % to 0.50 weight % is added to a mixed powder of a solid solution powder of Cr and the heat-resistant element and the Cu powder, and then a mixed powder prepared by adding the low melting metal powder is sintered at a temperature of from 1010° C. to 1035° C. As the low melting metal powder, there is used a powder having a median size of from 5 μm to 20 μm.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing an electrode material, comprising the steps of:
(a) sintering a mixed powder containing a Cr powder and a powder of at least one heat-resistant element selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, Ta, Nb, V, and Zr, the mixed powder containing the Cr and the heat-resistant element in a ratio such that the Cr is greater than the heat-resistant element by weight, thereby making a solid solution of the Cr and the heat-resistant element;
(b) pulverizing the solid solution of the Cr and the heat-resistant element to obtain a solid solution powder of the Cr and the heat-resistant element, and then classifying the solid solution powder of the Cr and the heat-resistant element such that a volume-based relative particle amount of particles having a particle size of 90 μm or less becomes 90% or greater;
(c) mixing the classified solid solution powder of the Cr and the heat-resistant element, a Cu powder having a median size of 100 μm or less, and a low melting metal powder having a median size of from 5 μm to 20 μm, the low melting metal powder being at least one selected from the group consisting of Bi, Sn, Se and Pb, such that the electrode material contains 39.80 to 89.73 weight % of the Cu, 7.96 to 47.86 weight % of the Cr, 1.99 to 11.96 weight % of the heat-resistant element, and 0.30 to 0.50 weight % of the low melting metal powder; and
(d) sintering a compact prepared by pressing a mixed powder obtained by the mixing step, at a temperature of from 1010° C. to 1035° C., the sintering of step (d) being free from applying pressure to the compact,
wherein the at least one heat-resistant element comprises Mo, and the low melting powder comprises Bi.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing an electrode material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the low melting metal powder has a median size of from 5 μm to 10 μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing an electrode material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the low melting metal powder is a powder produced by an atomization process.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method for manufacturing an electrode material as claimed in claim 2, wherein the low melting metal powder is a powder produced by an atomization process.