Relays, contactors, switches, and low voltage circuit breakers all employ silver metal oxide contact materials, primarily due to their relatively high and stable conductivity, their anti-welding, and their arc quenching properties. These materials are produced through powder metallurgy techniques as well as traditional wrought metallurgy techniques. The main difference that results from choosing one of these processes over the other lies in the distribution of the metal oxide component within the silver matrix. The metal oxide distribution and particle size significantly affect contact performance.
