Analysis of Friction and Wear Mechanisms Occuring During Durability Tests of Connector Contact Pairs

Performances and reliability of connectors depend on many factors such as design and operating conditions (especially contact pressure and environment). They can be optimized with a proper choice of final coatings: gold, silver, gold flash over palladium-nickel and other layers. Numerous studies have shown that friction and wear phenomena were a major cause of reliability issues. This paper presents an analysis of the durability of some of the usual coatings used for connectors based on the tribological properties of symmetrical and dissymmetrical configurations of contacts. Friction, wear and electrical behavior during large amplitude friction tests are compared. Additional results from a micro-friction test with a diamond sphere are presented and help to understand the role of the different wear mechanisms involved.