Study on the conductive and tribological properties of copper sliding electrical contacts lubricated by ionic liquids

To reduce energy dissipation, improve reliability and lifetime of sliding electrical contact, ionic liquids (ILs) and multiply-alkylated cyclopentanes (MACs) were employed to lubricate copper sliding electrical contacts. Their physical properties, electrical contact resistance (ECR) and tribological properties were investigated in detail. Standard deviation was introduced to evaluate the stability of conductive and tribological behaviors. Results show that ILs not only greatly lower the COF, ECR and wear volumes, but also make them more stable as compared with MACs. Based on the characterization and analysis of the lubricants and worn surfaces, the conductive and tribological behaviors of different lubricants under current-carrying friction are related to the nature of the lubricants and the protective film generated on the worn surfaces.