Precious Metal AgC10
Silver matrix with dispersed graphite particles giving low, stable contact resistance and anti-welding behavior; used where arc-welding resistance and low friction matter more than arc erosion resistance.
Reference datasheet — AgC10 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the PSR condition
AgC10 tempers and conditions
AgC10 is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. PSR is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Softest condition, used when the contact must be riveted, staked or coined into a carrier without cracking. | 45 | 95 | 8 | 25 HB | 50 % IACS |
Sintered | Lower-density economy condition for low-duty contacts; softer and slightly more resistive due to residual porosity. | 48 | 75 | 3 | 23 HB | 42 % IACS |
PSRDefault Pressed, sintered and repressed | Standard stocked PM condition for rivets, tips and buttons where isotropic properties and low cost are wanted. | 70 | 110 | 4 | 30 HB | 48 % IACS |
Hot pressed / hot repressed | Near-full-density condition for large contact blocks where uniform properties and minimum porosity are required. | 85 | 125 | 5 | 33 HB | 50 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways AgC10 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
EXT | Extruded from sintered billet | Supply form |
AG-BACK | AgC10 with pure-silver backing layer | Surface finish |
CU-BACK | AgC10 clad on copper carrier | Surface finish |
What is AgC10?
Silver matrix with dispersed graphite particles giving low, stable contact resistance and anti-welding behavior; used where arc-welding resistance and low friction matter more than arc erosion resistance. AgC10 has a density of 7.6 g/cm³ (0.275 lb/in³), lighter than 100% of precious metal grades. It melts at 961°C (1,762 °F). AgC10 has a yield strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 110 MPa (16 ksi) — weaker than 90% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 4% and the elastic modulus is 55 GPa (7.98 Msi).
What is AgC10 used for?
- low-voltage switchgear
- circuit breaker contacts
- sliding/brush contacts
- relay contacts
Advantages
- Lightweight — 7.6 g/cm³ (0.275 lb/in³), better than 100% of precious metal grades
- Easy to machine — 55/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Low stiffness — 55 GPa (7.98 Msi), worse than 100% of precious metal grades
- Hard to polish — 40/100, worse than 100% of precious metal grades
- Difficult to weld — 15/100, worse than 96% of precious metal grades
- Limited formability — 30/100, worse than 94% of precious metal grades
- Limited ductility — 4%, worse than 93% of precious metal grades
AgC10 properties
Typical room-temperature values for AgC10-PSR; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
AgC10 has a density of 7.6 g/cm³ (0.275 lb/in³), lighter than 100% of precious metal grades. It melts at 961°C (1,762 °F).
Mechanical7
AgC10 has a yield strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 110 MPa (16 ksi) — weaker than 90% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 4% and the elastic modulus is 55 GPa (7.98 Msi).
Thermal6
AgC10 is rated for continuous service to 300°C (572 °F). It conducts heat at 200 W/m·K (115.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 69% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 16 µm/m·K (8.89 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
AgC10 conducts electricity at 48 % IACS, better than 70% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (82/100), better than 53% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of AgC10 takes about 1,300 MJ of energy and emits 90 kg of CO₂ — less than 61% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability6
AgC10's machinability is good (55/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades); weldability poor (15/100); formability poor (30/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the precious metal family
Yield strength against density for every precious metal grade FabDigit runs. AgC10 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with AgC10
Is AgC10 easy to machine?
Machines easily with sharp, polished-flute carbide or HSS tools at high speed and light feed; graphite provides self-lubrication so cut dry or with mist and collect all swarf for silver reclaim.
Can AgC10 be welded?
Not fusion weldable — the graphite prevents wetting; join by resistance welding, riveting or brazing through a silver or copper backing layer.
Can AgC10 be formed, bent or molded?
Made by powder metallurgy (press–sinter–repress, hot press or extrusion of sintered billet); finished parts tolerate only light coining/riveting, so avoid sharp bends and heavy cold work.
AgC10 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Cgraphite, dispersed; ~30–35 vol% | 9 – 11 | 10 |
| impurities (total)Fe, Cu, Pb, Bi etc. combined | ≤ 0.15 | |
| Ag≥89.8 % Ag matrix | balance |
What surface finishes work on AgC10?
Surfaces are used as-machined or lightly lapped; avoid abrasive blasting (graphite smearing) and keep parts in sulfur-free packaging to limit tarnish, no plating of the working face.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Precious Metal AgC10 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- Ag-C
How much does AgC10 cost?
AgC10 is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
AgC10 — frequently asked
What is AgC10 used for?
AgC10 is typically used for low-voltage switchgear, circuit breaker contacts, sliding/brush contacts and relay contacts. In short: strongest anti-weld silver contact; self-lubricating contact material; low arc-erosion life.
What is the yield strength of AgC10?
AgC10 has a typical yield strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) and a tensile strength of 110 MPa (16 ksi) — weaker than 90% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is AgC10 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades). Machines easily with sharp, polished-flute carbide or HSS tools at high speed and light feed; graphite provides self-lubrication so cut dry or with mist and collect all swarf for silver reclaim.
Can AgC10 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (15/100). Not fusion weldable — the graphite prevents wetting; join by resistance welding, riveting or brazing through a silver or copper backing layer.
What surface finishes work on AgC10?
Surfaces are used as-machined or lightly lapped; avoid abrasive blasting (graphite smearing) and keep parts in sulfur-free packaging to limit tarnish, no plating of the working face.
Can AgC10 be formed, bent or molded?
Made by powder metallurgy (press–sinter–repress, hot press or extrusion of sintered billet); finished parts tolerate only light coining/riveting, so avoid sharp bends and heavy cold work.
What is the maximum service temperature of AgC10?
AgC10 is rated for continuous use to about 300°C (572 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between AgC10-PSR and AgC10-ANN?
PSR is the default condition — standard stocked PM condition for rivets, tips and buttons where isotropic properties and low cost are wanted. ANN: softest condition, used when the contact must be riveted, staked or coined into a carrier without cracking. Yield strength is 70 MPa in PSR versus 45 MPa in ANN.
How much does AgC10 cost?
AgC10 is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (electrical contact materials) — ASM International (1990)
- Electrical Contacts: Principles and Applications — CRC Press (2014)
- Silver-graphite (AgC) contact material data — Doduco / AMI Doduco (2022)
- Silver and silver alloy property data — Copper/Precious metal alloy databases (CES-type) (2021)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.