Force sensing by electrical contact resistance between conductive ceramics

The electrical contact resistance (ECR) holds promise for in-situ force measurements. This study systematically investigates the influences of surface roughness, mechanical loading, applied voltage, and measurement frequency on the ECR between squeezed components of conductive silicon carbides. Through the combination of theory, numerical simulations, and designed experiments, we meaningfully locate the load range presenting satisfactory repeatability and linearity between the normal compression and ECR. Results show that nonlinear behavior arising from surface roughness and considered measurement settings vanishes as the normal compression increases. This study advances our understanding of electro-mechanical mechanisms at contact interfaces, providing insights into innovations in in-situ measurement of contact force.