Friction force reduction for electrical terminals using graphene coating

Abstract

Multi-layer graphene, serving as a conductive solid lubricant, is coated on the metal surface of electrical terminals. This graphene layer reduces the wear and the friction between two sliding metal surfaces while maintaining the same level of electrical conduction when a pair of terminals engage. The friction between the metal surfaces was tested under dry sliding in a cyclical insertion process with and without the graphene coating. Comprehensive characterizations were performed on the terminals to examine the insertion effects on graphene using scanning electron microscopy, four-probe resistance characterization, lateral force microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. With the thin graphene layers grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on gold (Au) and silver (Ag) terminals, the insertional forces can be reduced by 74 % and 34 % after the first cycle and 79 % and 32 % after the 10th cycle of terminal engagement compared with pristine Au and Ag terminals. The resistance of engaged terminals remains almost unchanged with the graphene coating. Graphene stays on the terminals to prevent wear-out during the cyclic insertional process and survives the industrial standardized reliability test through high humidity and thermal cycling with almost no change.

Comparison of the Tribological Behaviour of Various Graphene Nano-Coatings as a Solid Lubricant for Copper

“…Fascinating lubricant properties are attributed to graphene by Penkov et al [15], who collected and revised in his paper many results from previous tribological investigations at the nanoscale and macroscale on a number of substrates. Zhang et al [16] reported that the use of multi-layer graphene coating can effectively reduce the wearing-out of tiny electrical connectors and protect them from tribo-oxidation damage, without affecting the electrical conduction through the pair. Lin et al [17] explored the synergistic effect of TiN-Ag coating and MLG-rich grease to improve the friction, wear, and conduction of copper connectors.…”