Title :
Silver tin oxide contact erosion in automotive relays
Author :
Leung, Chi H. ; Lee, Anthony
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Electron. Eng., Gen. Motors Res. Labs., Warren, MI, USA
Abstract :
The erosion properties of a silver tin oxide contact material used in automotive DC relays were evaluated as a function of current and life cycles in lampload switching. The eroded surfaces were analyzed and an erosion mechanism based on transfer interface fracture was presented to explain the contact resistance, material transfer and welding properties of the silver tin oxide contact material. Pip and crater formation in silver tin oxide are small because of a weak deposit/cathode interface that resulted in delamination of pips
Keywords :
automotive electronics; contact resistance; electrical contacts; relays; silver compounds; tin compounds; wear; AgSnO2; automotive DC relays; contact resistance; crater formation; delamination; interface fracture; lampload switching; life cycles; material transfer; pip formation; silver tin oxide contact material; surface erosion; welding; Automotive engineering; Cathodes; Contact resistance; Mechanical factors; Relays; Silver; Surface cracks; Surface resistance; Tin; Welding;
Conference_Titel :
Electrical Contacts, 1993., Proceedings of the Thirty-Ninth IEEE Holm Conference on
Conference_Location :
Pittsburgh, PA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1270-8
DOI :
10.1109/HOLM.1993.489661
