ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the broad subject of the corrosion of electrical contacts in the field and laboratory environments in which they operate. Emphasis will be on natural, longterm, ageing reactions. It highlights the effects of mostly inorganic chemical species as found in natural operating environments. The chapter explores various forms of manufacturing- and/or handling-induced contamination and will also exclude the almost endless possibilities of organic species in real environments. It focuses on the effects of those few, critical inorganic pollutants which modern research has identified as having the first-order effects on contact corrosion. The chapter discusses the important effects which even extremely low levels of these pollutants may have on the corrosion process. It demonstrates the dramatic changes in corrosion mechanisms which can occur on contact materials as pollutant levels change. The chapter examines modern trends in the development of accelerated, environmental or corrosion tests.
