| The alloying of small amounts of one of the precious metals, platinum, palladium or gold with silver increases the hardness, and reduces the metal transfer tendency. These alloys maintain a low contact resistance during operation, as they are not susceptible to oxidation. They are susceptible to sulfide tarnishing however, to about the same degree as fine silver. They are suitable for contacts in sensitive devices in both AC and DC circuits. ELKONIUM® 36, a silver platinum alloy, and ELKONIUM® 45, a silver palladium alloy, both have low contact resistance comparable to fine silver. They are used in DC applications where contact forces are low and fine silver transfers excessively. ELKONIUM® 45 alloy is employed as a negative contact operating against a positive contact material such as ELKONIUM® 17, CMW® D55X (silver-cadmium oxide) or CMW® D510 (silver-nickel) alloys. These combinations are used in low voltage DC applications such as vibrating contact voltage regulators to minimize metal transfer. Information provided by NAECO, LLC. |
