The effect of sliding wear on lubricated tin-lead contacts

Tin-based material systems are used extensively in connector interfaces, because tin based material systems are cost effective and have advantageous corrosion characteristics. One of the weaknesses of these material systems is poor wear characteristics. In general, connectors experience two different types of wear at their interfaces that will shorten their service life: sliding wear and fretting wear. This paper will concentrate on sliding wear, which occurs whenever a connector is mated and unmated. Data are presented for a series of sliding wear experiments, under 50 and 150 grams normal loads. The cyclic movement is 0.1 inch at 0.1 inch/sec. Wear-out of the connector interface has been determined by monitoring the dynamic coefficient of friction and by analysis of the wear track using an optical microscope. The benefit of using a special formulation of a CLT: X-10 lubricant at the interface to protect the tin/lead material system is demonstrated, through the use of a new first order sliding wear model