Investigation of Au Plated Connector Materials in Corrosion and Sliding Environment

Abstract

Study shows that gold can resist the formation of insulating oxide films that could interfere with reliable contact operation. So the gold coatings are often used in the contacts of separable electrical connectors and other devices. In this article, the corrosion test method is carried to show the porosity of specimens in gold coatings and the testing procedure is based on JIS standards. In addition to corrosion atmosphere, there is a sliding between the contact surfaces of the connector, which would affect the resistance of the connector contact materials. This paper studies the complicated effects of the corrosion environment and sliding on the dynamic resistance of the contacts materials of Au plated. Series of inspections and analytical research methods are introduced in this article. The surface morphology of specimens after corrosion test is observed by stereoscopic microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Chemical constitution was examined by X-ray energy spectrum. The contact resistances were measured by four-point method. The experiment results show that after corrosion test by SO2with JIS corrosion test, the corrosion products appear islands-like spots on gold plating surface after corrosion test. The corrosion degree of gold plating specimens is decreased with the increase of the thickness of gold coatings. The results show that corrosion environment and sliding has a more complex and significant impact on the performance of the contact materials than single-factors, and the tests are closer to the real working environment.