ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the tribology of electrical contacts under three headings: sliding, fretting, and lubrication. In electrical connections, wear is generally associated with separable rather than permanent interfaces because surface damage is often visible to the naked eye after separation. The chapter reviews tribological data recorded over many years, some of which were obtained well before adoption in the scientific literature of SI units. It shows that use of fluid and grease lubricants in electrical contacts reduces base metal transfer, wear rate, wear debris generation, and oxide thickness due to shielding of the mating surfaces from the atmosphere. Lubricants therefore tend to stabilize contact resistance. The chapter considers the lubrication of separable electronic connectors. Lubrication is broadly defined as the practice of coating contact surfaces to reduce mechanical wear and/or friction, and degradation due to fretting. The chapter discusses the requirements of a lubricant, methods of application, and provides examples of widely used fluids in practice.
