電気接触部に使われる材料の摩耗

抄録

The wear behaviors of five types of materials used for electrical contact - gold, silver, copper, graphite, and tin - are reviewed, with a focus on the influences of oxygen and water vapor. Gold, silver, and copper demonstrate distinct wear patterns determined by their respective reactivity with atmospheric gases. Among them, the wear of gold remains unaffected by the presence of oxygen and water vapor. In contrast, the wear of graphite significantly decreases when water vapor is present in air. Particularly, experiments that independently change sliding speed and non-friction time indicate the importance of the actual friction time at the real contact area. Conversely, the wear of tin substantially increases when oxygen and water vapor are blown to the friction interface, leading to the growth of transfer particles and the subsequent production of large wear particles.