How to Prevent Oxidation and Insulation Aging of Slip Rings？

Introduction

In fields such as industrial automation, aerospace, and power energy, electrical slip rings are used in many devices to transmit electricity, data, and signals. However, in extreme environments, the contact points of slip ring components are prone to oxidation, and the insulation materials tend to age. This can lead to malfunctions such as unstable signal transmission and slip ring short - circuits, affecting the normal operation of the equipment. So why and what should we do?


The Influence Mechanisms of Extreme Environments on Slip Rings

（1）High Temperature

In a high - temperature environment, the atomic activity of the metal contact points of the slip ring increases. The oxidation rate accelerates, so a layer of copper oxide quickly forms on the surface of the copper - based conductive ring. The electrical conductivity of copper oxide is much lower than that of copper, resulting in an increase in the contact resistance of the slip ring. This causes problems such as heat generation and a decrease in hardness.

（2）Humidity

Excessive moisture in the environment will adhere to the metal surface of the slip ring, forming an electrolyte film. During this process, metal atoms lose electrons and are gradually corroded, also leading to an increase in contact resistance. At this time, the slip ring is prone to electric leakage and short - circuits.

（3）Dust

In deserts and jungles, fine sand and dust particles can enter the interior of the slip ring along with the air flow. These particles will rub against the metal contact points and insulation materials. This friction can damage the protective layer on the metal surface, accelerating oxidation. It can also damage the surface of the slip ring's insulation material.



How Can We Prevent and Solve These Problems?

（1）Inert Gas Encapsulation: We can encapsulate the slip ring in an environment filled with inert gases such as nitrogen and argon to isolate oxygen, moisture, and sand and dust. After encapsulation, even in marine equipment with high humidity and high salt - fog, the oxidation and aging rates of the slip ring will be significantly reduced.

（2）Anti - Oxidation Coating: Alternatively, we can coat the surface of the metal parts of the slip ring with an anti - oxidation material, such as gold, silver, nickel, etc. Gold has good chemical stability and electrical conductivity and can also resist the friction of sand and dust, protecting the metal substrate.

（3）Polymer Insulation: Insulation materials such as polyimide can maintain insulation at high temperatures and have an extremely low water absorption rate in humid conditions. Therefore, we often use it in the slip ring systems of aircraft engines to better protect the safety of the internal circuits of the slip ring.

Conclusion

Also, we sometimes conduct accelerated aging test comparisons. This means testing slip rings of the same specifications under simulated extreme environments with different protective measures for comparison. 

However, ByTune recommends that you choose a suitable protection solution according to the specific working conditions. Or, our professional engineering team can also evaluate your equipment and provide a customized slip ring solution.


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