C100 Silver Graphite Dispersion

Introducing the newest and most noteworthy electrolyte
for high power component plating

Unique dispersive technology provides excellent conductivity and superior resistance to fretting corrosion, oxidation, vibration and high temperatures. C100 retains silver’s conductive properties while providing significant anti-tarnish protection. Friction trace tests on C-100 indicate low abrasion and zero wear-through.

C100 achieves its exceptional abrasion performance through embedded graphite particles. The graphite component in the silver matrix acts as a solid lubricant: with each friction event, the surface is recreated, and the abraded tips of the graphite lamellae are distributed over the friction surface. The abrasion that plagues pure silver is prevented, contact The abrasion that plagues pure silver is prevented, contact resistance is minimized, and continuously high charging performance is ensured.

End-of-life tribometer tests at 50,000 cycles demonstrate the low and stable coefficient of friction of C100. Thermal aging shows stable tribological behavior and contact resistance at levels equal to pure silver. This gives C100 significant advantages compared with pure silver, as the latter provides lesser performance in terms of both wear and heat tolerance. C100 is cross-compatible with silver and silver alloys in the field.

Exceptional abrasion resistance at max. loading performance

Even after more than 50,000 mating cycles, an intact silver graphite layer can be detected

Following 18 months of internal testing, UniMetal was chosen as the North America test site for C100. As UniMetal and other contract platers had discovered, manufacturers were dissatisfied with the service life of connector contacts that transfer high charging power from the source to the application or battery.

Coatings with fine silver have acceptable electrical and thermal conductivity, but their tendency to cold-weld, along with low Rockwell numbers and a high coefficient of friction lead to accelerated wear of the silver coatings when contacted repeatedly. To achieve the target mating cycles and minimize wear, lubricants were used. Among the downsides of this strategy was accumulation of contaminants and foreign layers over time, leading to elevated service temperatures and a compromise of charging performance.

There are silver alloys that provide high hardness and vibration resistance, but the alloying metals have a detrimental effect on electrical conductivity and the coefficient of friction generally approaches that of fine silver.

There’s an acute need for durable, high-performance silver coatings for high power applications. Particularly in the electromobility sector, charging plugs with a short service life invite serious consequences, not the least of which is the viability of the charging infrastructure – and inevitably, the vehicles themselves.

Applications

• A proven silver dispersion coating, C100 from UniMetal produces reliable charging cycles and fast charging connectors.
• Silver Graphite Dispersion is a key addition to UniMetal’s precious metal plating portfolio. Other silver processes include bright, semi-bright, and matte.
• C100 will soon benefit multiple medical device manufacturers served by UniMetal.
• C100 from UniMetal provides superior resistance to oxidation and heat.