Friction properties of perfluorinated polyethers for hot‐dipped tin low‐level separable electrical contacts

Tin coatings are used as a final protection for cuprous substrates involved in low‐level electrical contacts. High friction forces and fretting phenomena remain a cause of electrical failure of connector terminals, and so should be minimised. A lubricant layer can improve the life and reliability of connector terminals but such a layer must ensure low and stable resistance values even under severe temperature conditions. Work has been undertaken to investigate the lubricant layer most suitable for the protection of tinned electrical contacts. Perfluorinated polyethers (PFPEs) were chosen for their inertness. The aim was to correlate various physico‐chemical properties of branched or linear PFPEs, with their frictional and electrical properties. The long‐term electrical properties of a contact are shown to be linked to the initial wear mode in the contact.