Silver-cadmium oxide is a popular contact material that has been used in a wide range of applications in switches, relays and contactors for switching lamps, motors and resistive loads. Silver-cadmium oxide is a composite material consisting of a metal matrix, silver, with a metal oxide, cadmium oxide, dispersed throughout the matrix. Compositions of up to 30 % cadmium are made, but most applications use silver-cadmium oxide in the range of 10 to 15 % cadmium oxide by weight. Several different processes are used for manufacturing silver-cadmium oxide material and it should be understood that the manufacturing method has an influence on the properties of the material such as arc erosion resistance, welding resistance, arc mobility and contact resistance. Since the performance of contacts in a device is dependent on numerous factors outside the contact itself (opening speed, closing speed, contact pressure, contact bounce and many more device parameters), the guide cannot ensure performance in specific applications.

Arc erosion resistance and welding resistance are improved by the addition of cadmium oxide to the silver matrix. The contact resistance is raised by this addition but still is low. Cadmium oxide and silver do not alloy so the silver matrix retains its high conductivity. Silver-cadmium oxide contacts are used in current ranges of a few amperes to several hundred amperes.

Silver-cadmium oxide contact material is available as wire, silver-clad wire, sheet, strip, toplay, inlay and overlay sheet or strip, discrete contact parts, brazed contact assemblies, solid and composite rivet contacts and clad contact tapes.

Materials with higher cadmium oxide contents have lower material costs but may have higher processing costs due to lower formability.