ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews some fundamental properties of electrical contacts and updates the reader on the results of research. It focuses on the effect of constriction of current flow on electrical resistance, interdiffusion processes at electrical interfaces, the relationship between the drop in electrical potential and temperature in an electrical contact, sintering, softening, and melting in contact spots, the effect of deformation of asperity on contact resistance. Electrically conducting coatings are often used to minimize electrical contact resistance. Contact resistance may also be reduced through the action of several mechanisms such as a decrease in surface hardness, large electrical conductivity of the electroplate relative to that of the substrate, elimination of electrically insulating surface oxide films, and so on. The chapter explores the origin of electrical contact resistance at solid–solid interfaces and addressed the major factors that affect the fundamental properties of electrical contacts.
