Developments in Fretting Studies applied to Electrical Contacts

A review of recent developments in fretting studies in electrical contacts is presented, focusing on developments in instrumentation methods, intermittency studies, wear assessment, and the application of new materials. The aim of the review is to look at the future directions of this important topic. The application areas discussed includes automotive connectors, in-body (invitro) electronic connection systems, and photo-voltaic connection systems all of which provide extreme operating environments for connector surfaces. Recent developments in the application of conducting polymers are also discussed. The review leads to a number of recommendations for further studies into the physics of contacts with micro-movement.