Current-carrying friction and wear is the result of coupling between electrical contact system and mechanical friction system. With the rapid development of technology

the service conditions of current-carrying friction materials become severer

therefore

it is particularly urgent to design and develop high-strength

high-conductivity

wear-resistant current-carrying friction pair materials. Copper matrix composite is a kind of high strength and high performance composite by adding different types of reinforcement phase into the copper or copper alloy matrix to control composition and structural properties. The composites can retain excellent properties of copper matrix such as high conductivity

and realize high temperature resistant

corrosion resistance

wear resistance and other excellent characteristics

which can be used as an ideal material of friction pair. Based on the characteristics in service

performance requirements and failure modes of current carrying friction pair materials

the classification

characteristics and research status and progress of copper matrix composites under current carrying friction condition were reviewed

and the development trend of copper matrix composites was prospected.