Contact cleaner

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Contact-cleaner, also known as switch-cleaner, is a term for a chemical, or a mixture of chemicals, intended to remove or prevent the build-up of oxides or other unwanted substances on the conductive surfaces of connectors, switches, and other electronic components with moving surface-contacts, and thus reduce the contact resistance encountered. [1] [2] [3] The use of contact cleaner can help to minimize the wetting current across a pair of contacts. [4]

An example of a simple contact-cleaner is isopropyl alcohol. [5] [2]

Some contact-cleaners are designed to evaporate completely and rapidly, leaving no residue. [6] [7] Others may contain lubricants. [8] [9] Lubricants themselves should not necessarily be used as contact cleaners, especially if they are designed to leave an unsuitable residue. [10] However, appropriate lubricants may work well as contact cleaners. [11]

Related Research Articles

A lubricant is a substance that helps to reduce friction between surfaces in mutual contact, which ultimately reduces the heat generated when the surfaces move. It may also have the function of transmitting forces, transporting foreign particles, or heating or cooling the surfaces. The property of reducing friction is known as lubricity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stainless steel</span> Steel alloy resistant to corrosion

Stainless steel, also known as inox or corrosion-resistant steel (CRES), is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 10.5% chromium and usually nickel, and may also contain other elements, such as carbon, to obtain the desired properties. Stainless steel's resistance to corrosion results from the chromium, which forms a passive film that can protect the material and self-heal in the presence of oxygen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lanolin</span> Yellow waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals

Lanolin, also called wool yolk, wool wax, or wool grease, is a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. Lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep breeds that are raised specifically for their wool. Historically, many pharmacopoeias have referred to lanolin as wool fat ; however, as lanolin lacks glycerides, it is not a true fat. Lanolin primarily consists of sterol esters instead. Lanolin's waterproofing property aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trisodium phosphate</span> Chemical compound

Trisodium phosphate (TSP) is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula Na3PO4. It is a white, granular or crystalline solid, highly soluble in water, producing an alkaline solution. TSP is used as a cleaning agent, builder, lubricant, food additive, stain remover, and degreaser.

Surface modification is the act of modifying the surface of a material by bringing physical, chemical or biological characteristics different from the ones originally found on the surface of a material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flux (metallurgy)</span> Chemical used in metallurgy for cleaning or purifying molten metal

In metallurgy, a flux is a chemical cleaning agent, flowing agent, or purifying agent. Fluxes may have more than one function at a time. They are used in both extractive metallurgy and metal joining.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Personal lubricant</span> Substance to reduce friction, usually during sexual acts

Personal lubricants are specialized lubricants used during sexual acts, such as intercourse and masturbation, to reduce friction to or between the penis and vagina, anus or other body parts or applied to sex toys to reduce friction or to ease penetration. Surgical or medical lubricants or gels, which are similar to personal lubricants but not usually referred to or labelled as "personal" lubricants, may be used for medical purposes such as speculum insertion or introduction of a catheter. The primary difference between personal and surgical lubricants is that surgical lubricants are thicker, sterile gels, typically containing a bacteriostatic agent. As of 2015 the personal lubricant market was estimated to be worth at least $400 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plain bearing</span> Simplest type of bearing, comprising just a bearing surface and no rolling elements

A plain bearing, or more commonly sliding contact bearing and slide bearing, is the simplest type of bearing, comprising just a bearing surface and no rolling elements. Therefore, the journal slides over the bearing surface. The simplest example of a plain bearing is a shaft rotating in a hole. A simple linear bearing can be a pair of flat surfaces designed to allow motion; e.g., a drawer and the slides it rests on or the ways on the bed of a lathe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">False brinelling</span>

False brinelling is a bearing damage caused by fretting, with or without corrosion, that causes imprints that look similar to brinelling, but are caused by a different mechanism. False brinelling may occur in bearings which act under small oscillations or vibrations.

Silicone grease, sometimes called dielectric grease, is a waterproof grease made by combining a silicone oil with a thickener. Most commonly, the silicone oil is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the thickener is amorphous fumed silica. Using this formulation, silicone grease is a translucent white viscous paste, with exact properties dependent on the type and proportion of the components. More specialized silicone greases are made from fluorinated silicones or, for low-temperature applications, PDMS containing some phenyl substituents in place of methyl groups. Other thickeners may be used, including stearates and powdered polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE). Greases formulated from silicone oils with silica thickener are sometimes referred to as silicone paste to distinguish them from silicone grease made with silicone oil and a soap thickener.

Grease is a solid or semisolid lubricant formed as a dispersion of thickening agents in a liquid lubricant. Grease generally consists of a soap emulsified with mineral or vegetable oil.

Fretting refers to wear and sometimes corrosion damage of loaded surfaces in contact while they encounter small oscillatory movements tangential to the surface. Fretting is caused by adhesion of contact surface asperities, which are subsequently broken again by the small movement. This breaking causes wear debris to be formed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stress corrosion cracking</span> Growth of cracks in a corrosive environment

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is the growth of crack formation in a corrosive environment. It can lead to unexpected and sudden failure of normally ductile metal alloys subjected to a tensile stress, especially at elevated temperature. SCC is highly chemically specific in that certain alloys are likely to undergo SCC only when exposed to a small number of chemical environments. The chemical environment that causes SCC for a given alloy is often one which is only mildly corrosive to the metal. Hence, metal parts with severe SCC can appear bright and shiny, while being filled with microscopic cracks. This factor makes it common for SCC to go undetected prior to failure. SCC often progresses rapidly, and is more common among alloys than pure metals. The specific environment is of crucial importance, and only very small concentrations of certain highly active chemicals are needed to produce catastrophic cracking, often leading to devastating and unexpected failure.

Corrosion engineering is an engineering specialty that applies scientific, technical, engineering skills, and knowledge of natural laws and physical resources to design and implement materials, structures, devices, systems, and procedures to manage corrosion. From a holistic perspective, corrosion is the phenomenon of metals returning to the state they are found in nature. The driving force that causes metals to corrode is a consequence of their temporary existence in metallic form. To produce metals starting from naturally occurring minerals and ores, it is necessary to provide a certain amount of energy, e.g. Iron ore in a blast furnace. It is therefore thermodynamically inevitable that these metals when exposed to various environments would revert to their state found in nature. Corrosion and corrosion engineering thus involves a study of chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, electrochemistry and materials science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirt</span> Unclean matter, especially when in contact with a persons clothes, skin or possessions

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Protein adsorption refers to the adhesion of proteins to solid surfaces. This phenomenon is an important issue in the food processing industry, particularly in milk processing and wine and beer making. Excessive adsorption, or protein fouling, can lead to health and sanitation issues, as the adsorbed protein is very difficult to clean and can harbor bacteria, as is the case in biofilms. Product quality can be adversely affected if the adsorbed material interferes with processing steps, like pasteurization. However, in some cases protein adsorption is used to improve food quality, as is the case in fining of wines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Materials for use in vacuum</span>

Materials for use in vacuum are materials that show very low rates of outgassing in vacuum and, where applicable, are tolerant to bake-out temperatures. The requirements grow increasingly stringent with the desired degree of vacuum to be achieved in the vacuum chamber. The materials can produce gas by several mechanisms. Molecules of gases and water can be adsorbed on the material surface. Materials may sublimate in vacuum. Or the gases can be released from porous materials or from cracks and crevices. Traces of lubricants, residues from machining, can be present on the surfaces. A specific risk is outgassing of solvents absorbed in plastics after cleaning.

In electrical and electronics engineering, wetting current is the minimum electric current needing to flow through a contact to break through the surface film resistance at a contact. It is typically far below the contact's nominal maximum current rating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flowers of sulfur</span> Very fine, bright yellow sulfur powder that is produced by sublimation and deposition

Flowers of sulfur is a very fine, bright yellow sulfur powder that is produced by sublimation and deposition. It can contain up to 30% of the amorphous allotrope of sulfur, which is the noncrystalline structure of sulfur. It is known as flores sulphuris by apothecaries and in older scientific works. Natural sulfur was also known as brimstone, hence the alternative name flowers of brimstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation and restoration of clocks</span>

The conservation and restoration of clocks refers to the care given to the physical and functional aspects of time measuring devices featuring "moving hands on a dial face" exclusive of watches. Care for clocks constitutes regulating the external environment, cleaning, winding, lubrication, pest-management, and repairing or replacing mechanical and aesthetic components to preserve or achieve the desired state as specified by the owner. Clocks are typically composed of multiple types of materials such as wood, metal, paint, plastic, etc., which have unique behaviors and environmental interactions, making treatment options complex. The materials used and the complexity of clockwork warrant having a Horological Conservator complete the work.

References

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  4. "Down and Dirty with Contact Cleaners". 17 February 2017.
  5. Docter, Quentin; Dulaney, Emmett; Skandier, Toby (17 September 2012). CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide: Exams 220-801 and 220-802. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   9781118421659 via Google Books.
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  7. "Info" (PDF). nora.nerc.ac.uk.
  8. Schroeder, Don; Lare, Gary (17 August 1979). Audiovisual Equipment and Materials: A Basic Repair and Maintenance Manual. Scarecrow Press. ISBN   9780810812062 via Google Books.
  9. Wood, Steve; Wysmierski, Kristin (1 June 2010). "An ounce of prevention can save a pound of audiometer trouble". The Hearing Journal. 63 (6): 48–49. doi: 10.1097/01.HJ.0000382731.86660.4c . S2CID   76365430.
  10. Greene, Nik (31 March 2017). Buying and Maintaining a 126 S-Class Mercedes. The Crowood Press. ISBN   9781785002458 via Google Books.
  11. "Recovery of severely degraded tin-lead plated connector contacts due to fretting corrosion - IEEE Journals & Magazine". doi:10.1109/6144.759354. S2CID   25403072.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)