Objetivo The aim is to improve surfaces of electrical contacts, in order to achieve better reliability against corrosion, aging, wear and vibration, and to decrease production cost through noble metal saving or improvements of plating. This will be done by better control of undesired film formation, selection of surface additives (such as lubricants thin film deposition procedures set up). The research investigated methods for improving the surfaces of electrical contacts, in order to achieve better reliability against corrosion, ageing, wear and vibration, and to decrease production cost through noble metal saving or improvements of plating. The control of undesired film formation, the selection of surface additives (such as lubricants) and thin film deposition procedures were studied in particular.Research has been carried out in order to improve electrical contact surfaces involved in data processing, telecommunication, automotive and consumer applications. Research focused on replacing gold by an organic film, either liquid or solid film and screening different types of existing metallic plating together with new or existing lubricants in order to optimize the coupling between both. With respect to the organic film, 2 ways were investigated to protect the nickel used to cover the substrate. The first was to realize a thin film of liquid perfluorinated polyether (PFPE) on the metal. The second way was to electropolymerize polyacrylonitrile (PAN) on the metal, the polymer layer being heat treated in a second phase to ensure conductivity. The PAN coating was chosen to realize a connector. However results on connector has been disappointing: contact resistance reached acceptable value only after a few sliding cycles and the friction coefficient was often too high. A wide range of contact metallurgies used in automotive applications was surveyed and a representative test matrix selected. These included various tin, gold and silver alloys as well as less traditional finishes such as nickel and clad inlay materials. The types of protective greases available were also surveyed and an initial screening process conducted. The test procedures were derived from a survey of accelerated environmental tests for automotive electronics and connectors and in addition to these tests a large number samples of the test plates were exposed to various real automotive environments for up to 2 years. The results of the test gave the following conclusions. Care should be taken to avoid contact degradation due to copper diffusion through tin and silver at elevated temperatures. Gold and silver surfaces are unlikely to suffer from fretting corrosion in automotive environments. Also, contacts with thin layer of gold are less corrosion resistant than tinned finishes in under bonnet environments. Finally, it was shown that lubricants do improve contact reliability but only if the product is properly formulated and specific to the applicationInfluence of film thickness, in the range of 1 to 100 mm, will be studied for various layers such as lubricants, oxidation or conversion products, grafted polymers. An original procedure based upon electropolymerisation, presently at the research stage, will be developed. Degradation mechanisms in an aggressive automotive environment will be studied on a quantitative basis; test methods will be developed; effect of applied voltage and current will be taken into account. Ámbito científico engineering and technologymechanical engineeringtribologylubricationnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metalsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrypost-transition metalsengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and filmsengineering and technologymaterials engineeringmetallurgy Programa(s) FP2-BRITE/EURAM 1 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the fields of industrial manufacturing technologies and advanced materials applications (BRITE/EURAM), 1989-1992 Tema(s) Data not available Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación Data not available Coordinador Souriau et Cie SA Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 145 rue Yves le Coz 78035 Versailles Francia Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Participantes (5) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology Reino Unido Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Leicestershire LE11 3TU Loughborough Ver en el mapa Enlaces Sitio web Opens in new window Coste total Sin datos Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) Francia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Laboratoire de Genie Electrique de Paris Francia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Lucas Automotive Ltd Reino Unido Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Brueton House New Road B91 3TX Solihull Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Morgan Rocol Reino Unido Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Rocol House Swillington LS26 8BS Leeds Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos