why polyphase induction never attains synchronous speed?

If the motor is running at synchronous speed, then the torque generated by the motor equal to zero. If
you mean that rotor runs at synchronous speed as the field of the stator, this will cause that slip to be
zero, then there will be no torque generated in rotor, then rotor will be at standstill.

Torque developed by induction motor is proportional to the slip. At synchronous speed, slip is zero and
hence torque developed by the motor is zero. In case of ideal motor having zero friction and zero losses,
and no external load, motor can rotate at synchronous speed, because motor need not develop any
torque to sustain rotation. However, for practical motor, there will be some friction and other losses,
which motor has to overcome by developing some torque. And to develop that torque, motor must
have slip. Therefore, Motor cannot run at synchronous speed, but at slightly lower speed.

Synchronous speed is the speed of rotation of the magnetic field in a rotary machine and it depends
upon the frequency and number poles of the machine. An induction motor always runs at a speed less
than synchronous speed because the rotating magnetic field which is produced in the stator will
generate flux in the rotor which will make the rotor to rotate, but due to the lagging of flux current in
the rotor with flux current in the stator, the rotor will never reach to its rotating magnetic field speed
i.e. the synchronous speed.

What will happen if the induction motor runs at synchronous speed?

An induction motor will not spin at synchronous speed since there must be some slip to induce a current
into the rotor. As a thought experiment, we could mechanically couple the induction motor to a
synchronous motor:

Since both motors have the same number of poles, the induction motor is now spinning at synchronous
speed.

Under these conditions, there is no induced current in the induction motor’s rotor and consequently no
torque in the rotor. However, that does not mean the motor is consuming zero power. Friction and
windage losses are present; the synchronous motor is supplying mechanical power to overcome these
losses. The magnetic field is still being produced in the induction motor; we still have the I2R and core
losses. The power factor will be low.

FUN FACT: Most induction motors are constructed with a cast aluminum rotor. To increase efficiency,
we are now seeing cast copper rotors. One example is the induction drive motor used in the TESLA
motor model S. Ref: Electric Cars rely on Copper

Carbon brush benefits for a dc motor?

In dc motors, the carbon brush makes sure the commutation process remains free from sparks and
helps conduct electric current between the moving parts of the motor.
The carbon in a “carbon brush” is actually not pure carbon or graphite (a soft form of carbon) but a
combination of carbon and copper. The “carbon brush” is also not actually a brush but a block.

The combination of copper and carbon allows the “brush” to be low resistance compared to a pure
graphite block and relatively softer than a pure copper mesh or brush.

The resistance of the carbon brush allows less current inrush during commutation between adjacent
segments in the commutator of DC motors compared to a copper brush.

The “carbon brush” is also softer than the commutator (for dc motors) or the slip rings (for ac
motors/generators). This way, the brush wears easier and more evenly than the commutator or slip ring.
This will result to less maintenance issues since the brushes can be easier to replace than the slip rings
or commutator bars.

There are a number of reasons, including:

1. Carbon is self-lubricating.

2. Carbon has a negative temperature coefficient of resistance, which means that its resistance falls as
its temperature increases -which is opposite that of metals such as copper.

3. Carbon is softer than copper, so will not damage the commutator.

4. Carbon will acquire the shape of the commutator segments and, so, will ensure maximum contact
with them.