An Experimental Investigation of the Electrical Tribological Characteristics of a Copper–Silver Alloy Contact Wire/Novel Pure Carbon Slider

The sliding electric contact that is established between the catenary wire and pantograph slider serves as the primary mechanism through which contemporary high-speed railway trains obtain their driving energy. The wear resistance of both the sliders and contact wires significantly influences their service life. This paper reports an experimental investigation into the electrical tribological characteristics of a copper–silver alloy contact wire in conjunction with a novel pure carbon slider, conducted under AC 300–500 A at sliding velocities ranging from 150 to 250 km/h. The experimental tests reveal that the coefficient of friction changes from 0.20 to 0.28, and the wear rate of the sliders varies from 0.0028 to 0.0147 g/km. The observed wear mechanisms for the slider encompass arc ablation, abrasive wear, delamination wear, and adhesive wear.