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Erosion of zirconium-based cathodes in an arc

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Plasma Sources sd!. Technol.2 (1993) 301-303.Printed in the UK

Erosion of zirconium-based cathodes in an arc

V KopecW and B Kolman
Institute of Plasma Physics, A S CR, Za Slovankou 3, 182 11 Praha 8, Czech Republic Received 10 March 1993. in final form 4 June 1993
Abstract The specific erosion rates of cathodes from Zr and ZrB2 used in the water-stabilized plasma gun PAL 50 were measured. Vely good values were obtained for Zrb, establishingthis material as one of the best prospects for such cathodes. X-ray microanalysisof the cross section proved that the emitting pitface o f Zrl& contained zirconium oxide.

1. Introduction

A crucial moment in the further development of highcurrent plasma torches is selection of suitable material for cathodes with a long service life. It has been pointed out [l-31 that, for these applications, thermochemical cathodes made of zirconium, hafnium, Ir-Y,O, or RuY,O, offer many advantages. The requirements for cathodes working in oxidizing environments(used as the stabilizing media in some plasmatrons; for example air, oxygen, water vapour and-generally in water-stabilized systems) are especially stringent. It has been suggested [2-51 that such cathodes as those mentioned above have a suitably low erosion rate and thus a fairly long service life even in these environments. In this work the use of zirconium-based cathodes in the water-stabilized plasmatron PAL 50 at arc currents of 170-420 A was evaluated. The specific erosion rate of cathodes was measured during normal experimental operation used for plasmatron characterization studies

all other cases, cathodes were precisely weighed before and after the run. The specific erosion rate G was calculated as

ca.

where 6m is the mass loss in grammes, t is the burning time in seconds and I is the arc current in ampkres. In most of the tests, the arc current was gradually changed over an interval from 260 to 310A. In several test runs with ZrB, cathodes, the volt-ampkre characteristics of the arc were measured and the current was altered step by step through arc circuit resistance changes in the region of 170-420A. Results of the measurements are shown in figures 1 Bnd 2. Our results agree with earlier values [l] showing that the specific erosion rate decreases with burning time. Figures 1 and 2 do not suggest any marked dependence of G on the cathode diameter (for either material). The only diKerence between the internally

2 Specific erosion rate measurements .

The commercial water-stabilized plasmatron PAL 50 uses graphite electrodes lOmm in diameter. In this study zirconium metal rods of various sizes (3.4, 3.6, 4.0 and 4.45" diameter and 10-15" length) were pressed in copper tubes with. an outer diameter lOmm and inside Cooling of all cathodes diameter either 3.8 or 4.2". but one was provided by the water swirl used at the same time for stabilization. In one case the Zr cathode was cooled from inside by flowing water. The loss of emitting cathode material was measured in terms of its dependence on burning time. For the internally cooled cathode, losses were calculated from the changing depth of the crater on the cathode tip. In
0963-0252/93/040301+03s07.50 0 1993 IOP Publishing

a d , ,
0

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: , 20

30 t(min)

40

50

60

Figure 1. Dependence of ttlespecificerosion rate of the Zr cathode in the water-stabilized plasmatron on the burning time of the arc.
301

V Kopeck9 and B Kolman

cooled cathode and the others is a longer service life (up to l.5h). A significantly higher erosion rate has been registered for runs with repeated jump changes of the arc current (figure 2). This result is similar to results for repeatedly started arcs [l] and cannot be ascribed simply to a higher current value (see G for 420A in figure 2). A conclusion can he drawn from the comparison of statistical data of the time-dependence of erosion for ZrB, (figure 2) and Zr cathodes (dotted line obtained from data in figure 1) that, for slightly varying current, the specific erosion rate of zirconium diboride is several times lower than that of metal zirconium. Using a simplified assumption that there is a certain mass loss Sm, connected with formation of the emission layer on a cathode during start-up and that then the specific erosion rate during arc burning is constant (Go), the time-dependence of the specific erosion can be expressed by

Figure 3. Surface of the Cu/Zr cathode (scanning electron microscope (SEM) image).

I& + T ) where I , is the mean current and T is the cathode forming period. Applying expression ( 2 ) to measured data (figure 2), the start-up losses for both cathode = materials appear to be very similar (am,,, O.OSg, Sm,z,B, = 0.04 g, T < 6 s) but the specific erosion rates differ markedly. During steady state burning, Go,, = 12 x 10-8gC-l for metal zirconium and GoZrB,= 2 x 10-8gC-' for zirconium diboride. This means that the specific erosion rate of ZrB, is six times lower than that of Zr. Similarly, for a step change ofthe current a mass loss Sm, can be introduced into expression ( 2 ) and a coarse estimation can be made from data in figure 2. For ZrB,, losses due to changing current are of the order of Sm, I 1mg; that is, one order of magniI tude less than the start-up losses.

G(t) =

6%

+ Go

(2)

shows the Zr cathode and figure 4 the ZrB, cathode. The latter exhibits a smoother surface. The brighter regions probably correspond to zirconia (ZrO,), which has crystallized out during solidification of the melted layer at the cathode spot. Cross sections along the longitudinal axis of cathodes (figures 5 and 6) reveal that

3. Material analysis of c a t h o d e s
Electrodes from both materials were compared, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with x-ray microa n a l y s i s ( ~ ~ ~ ) , lOmin of burning at 300A. Figure 3 after Figure 4. Surface of the Cu/ZrB2 cathode (SEM image).

Figure 2. Comparison c the specific erosion rates of Zr and f ZrB2 cathodes for slightly varying current and of ZrB2 cathodes for multiple step changes of the current.
302

Figure 5. Cross section along the longitudinal axis of Zr cathode (SEM backscattered electrons image).

Erosion of zirconium-based cathodes in an arc

Figure 6. Cross section along t h e longitudinal as of ZrB, i cathode (SEM backscattered electrons image).

the length of the melted zone of the Zr cathode was 1.3" while that for ZrB, (the area without pores) was shorter at just 0.9 mm. The XMA carried out on the cross sections (figures 7 and 8) disclosed that the emitting layer up to lOOpm is composed of ZrO, not only in the case of Zr but also in the case of ZrB,-see the distribution of 0 and B in figure 8. The melted zones are highly enriched with copper, with the exception of the above-mentioned layer.

Figure 8. Secondary (SEI) and backscattered (BEI) electrons images and element distribution (E, 0, Cu, Zr, AI, W) on a cross section of ZrB, cathode (XMA). AI and W were classified as impurities. The area of the image is 4.5mm x 4.5mm; element distribution is done from the marked field.

4. Conclusion
Performance tests and material analysis of Zr and ZrB, cathodes showed the zirconium diboride cathodes to be very promising for application in water-stabilized plasmatrons. In order to attain a very long service life, an innovative technology of cathode production must be developed, including the possibility of internal cooling. It has been discovered that an internally cooled Zr cathode exhibited 50% longer service life than cathodes without internal cooling.

References
113 Zhukov M F, Pustogarov A V, Dandaron G B and Timoshevsky A N 1985 Thermochemical Cathodes (Novosibirsk: Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR) [2] Matsuda F, Ushio M and Kusumoto K 1990 Trans. Japan. Welding Res. Inst. 19 207 [31 Matsuda F, Ushio M and Kusumoto K 1991 Trans.

[41 Michailov B I and Shatokhin V G 1980 VIIIth USSR

Figure 7. Secondary (SEI) and backscattered electrons (SEI) images and element distribution (0,Zr, Cu)on a cross section of Zr cathode (x-ray microanalyser, XMA). The area of the image is 0.6 mm x 0 6 mm. .
Con$ on Generation o U P , Novosibirsk pp 64-7 f [SI Marotta A 1991 Physics of Low 72mperaturr Plasma (Minsk ITMO AS BSSR) p I, 110 [61 Hrabovsky M and Kopecky V 1992 91h Symp. on Elemenrary Processes end Chemical Reactions in Low Temperature Plasma (Castd. Czechoslovakia), Acta Phys. Slouaca.

Japan. Welding Res. Inst. 20 71

303