Sliding Electrical Contact Materials

The results of research programs to develop sliding electrical contact materials, both brushes and slip rings, are discussed. Problems attendant to operating sliding contacts in a vacuum are defined; limitations of commercial materials in solving these problems are described, and special materials and surface finish conditions which have resulted in solutions to these problems are presented. Data from operational tests on the newly developed materials are compared with similar data obtained from materials now used as standards in consumer products. Possible commercial applications of the more efficient sliding contact materials are discussed briefly.