Journal Article

Effect of Electrical Current on the Tribological Property of Cu-Graphite Brush

Xiao, Su-Xian, Wang, Chen, Zhang, Chao, Xu, Guo-Meng, Xiao, Jin-Kun, Chen, Juan

2024

Overview

Electrical brushes are essential parts of electrical circuits that can transmit electric power and signal between the moving and stationary parts by sliding, so they are exposed to both mechanical and electrical loading. In this study Cu-graphite brush was prepared by the powder metallurgy process, and was tested in rotating sliding electrical contact under different currents. The effect of electrical current on the tribological property of the Cu-graphite brush was investigated by evaluating the friction, wear, contact resistance and temperature. Results illustrate that the static contact resistance of Cu-graphite brush decreases sharply with an increase in the contact force. The friction coefficient and sliding contact resistance decrease gradually with increasing current, which is because of the Joule heat resulting in the reduction of the shear strength and the increase of real contact area. The formation of a continuous transfer layer on steel disc also contributes to the decrease of contact resistance. Oxidation of the wear debris and formation of hard particles causes abrasive wear. The dominant wear mechanism of the Cu-graphite brush with current is electrical wear. Graphical Abstract

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Abrasive wear / Brushes / Chemistry and Materials Science / Circuits / Coefficient of friction / Contact force / Contact resistance / Corrosion and Coatings / Electric contacts / Electric currents / Graphite / Materials Science / Mechanical properties / Nanotechnology / Original Paper / Oxidation resistance / Physical Chemistry / Powder metallurgy / Shear strength / Sliding contact / Surfaces and Interfaces / Theoretical and Applied Mechanics / Thin Films / Tribology / Wear mechanisms / Wear particles / Wear resistance