Abstract
This article presents a comparison between the performances of two chemistries of synthetic oil lubricants, polyalphaolefins (PAOs), and perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) when applied on gold-plated electrical contacts operating at contact loads of 9.8 centiNewton (cN) and experiencing fretting-induced degradation. Performance assessment was done using the contact resistance and coefficient of friction behavior and the surface’s response to fretting in the presence of three different lubricants, each within the two chemistries. It was found that the PAOs improved the fretting performance of the lightly loaded contacts and, statistically, were at least 50 times more reliable for a longer duration of fretting cycles than the PFPEs, suggesting their suitability for low contact load applications. At low loads, PFPEs underwent contact separation due to hydrodynamic lubrication, and the behavior was more observable among the PFPEs with higher kinematic viscosities. On the contrary, viscous PAOs had improved fretting performance and delayed time to contact failure than less viscous PAOs. The applied lubricant film thickness also contributed to the contact’s performance, and it was found that increasing the thickness of the PFPE films advanced contact failures, while thicker PAO films postponed the contact’s time to failure.
Highlights
Electrical contacts are integral components in all connectors and switches
This paper presents a comparison between the performances of two chemistries of synthetic oil lubricants, polyalphaolefins (PAOs) and perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) when applied on gold-plated electrical contacts operating at contact loads of 9.8 cN and experiencing fretting-induced degradation
coefficient of friction (COF) experienced by the contacts during the micromotions, and their surface conditions, i.e., the surface degradation resulting from the fretting mechanisms are used to assess the effects of lubricants
Summary
Electrical contacts are integral components in all connectors and switches. Gold is the preferred plating material for contacts in high-reliability, low-power applications such as connectors or switches inside electronic devices used in the medical or data communications industries. Gold-plated contacts deliver low and stable electrical contact resistance (ECR), usually around a few milliohms when they are new and healthy. These contacts are susceptible to wear in the presence of fretting or when they mate and demate. The contacting surfaces experience repetitive relative micromotions during operation, resulting in fretting wear and exposing the oxidizable layers underneath the gold plating when the gold has worn away
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