Microstructure, electric, and thermal properties of the Ta-Cu composite is evaluated for the application in electric contact materials. This material has the potential to be used in a medium for a high current range of current conditions, replacing Ag-MO, W, and WC containing materials. The optimized SPS process conditions are a temperature of 900oC for a 5 min holding time under a 30 MPa mechanical pressure. Comparative research is carried out for the calculated and actual values of the thermal and electric properties. The range of actual thermal and electric properties of the Ta-Cu composite are 50~300W/mk and 10~90 %IACS, respectively, according to the compositional change of the 90 to 10 wt% Ta-Cu system. The results related to the electric contact properties, suggest that less than 50 wt% of Ta compositions are possible in applications of electric contact materials.

• 주원(a한국생산기술연구원 한국희소금속산업기술센터, b한양대학교 신소재공학부) | Won Ju (a Korea Institute for Rare Metals, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, b Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University)
• 김영도(한양대학교 신소재공학부) | Young Do Kim (Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University)
• 심재진(a한국생산기술연구원 한국희소금속산업기술센터, c 인하대학교 신소재공학과) | Jae Jin Sim (a Korea Institute for Rare Metals, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, c Department of advanced materials engineering, Inha university)
• 최상훈(a한국생산기술연구원 한국희소금속산업기술센터, c인하대학교 신소재공학과) | Sang-Hoon Choi (a Korea Institute for Rare Metals, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, c Department of advanced materials engineering, Inha university)
• 현승균(인하대학교 신소재공학과) | Soong Keun Hyun (Department of advanced materials engineering, Inha university)
• 임경묵(한국생산기술연구원 한국희소금속산업기술센터) | Kyoung Mook Lim (Korea Institute for Rare Metals, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology)
• 박경태(한국생산기술연구원 한국희소금속산업기술센터) | Kyoung-Tae Park (Korea Institute for Rare Metals, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology) Corresponding author