As a key basic equipment carrying important control and protection functions such as current connection

conduction and disconnection between metal conductors

electrical contacts have been widely used in new power systems

and the abrasion and wear of contact materials under transient inrush currents as well as the detection problem have become the key technical difficulties in the study of enhancing the life of high-voltage circuit breakers. The paper firstly introduces the physical simulation method and in-situ detection technology of contact arc ablation

and then analyzes the phase transition evolution and damage mechanism of contact materials under arc ablation; furthermore

the modeling and simulation method of contact ablation characteristics is sorted out

and the enhancement and modification paths of contact materials are introduced

i.e.

matrix enhancement and modification and surface coating optimization; moreover

the contact material health state and service performance assessment technology is outlined; finally

the existing contact material ablation and wear technology is pointed out. Finally

the key unsolved problems in the existing research of contact material ablation and wear in-situ detection

combustion arc friction phase change mechanism and cross-scale modeling and simulation

enhancement and modification

and service evaluation are clarified.