In the design of electrical connection systems, the environmental adaptability of copper braided wires is often overlooked, but it directly affects the service life and safety of equipment. Many engineering failures are not caused by insufficient conductivity, but by inadequate consideration of environmental factors.
Damp and hot environment
High temperature and high humidity environments can accelerate the oxidation of copper materials, leading to an increase in contact resistance. Bare copper braided wire may form a cuprous oxide film on its surface within three months in an environment with a relative humidity of over 80%, resulting in an increase of approximately 15% in resistance. At this time, tin plated copper braided wire should be preferred, as the tin layer can effectively isolate water vapor.
Vibration scene
Special attention should be paid to the fatigue resistance of copper braided wire in scenarios with mechanical vibration. Multi strand fine wire weaving structure is more effective in dispersing stress than coarse wire structure. It is recommended to choose soft wire with a single wire diameter not exceeding 0.1mm. During installation, avoid right angle bending and maintain appropriate curvature between fixing points.
Chemical corrosion environment
Chemical industrial parks, coastal areas, and other environments with corrosive gases require extremely high levels of coating density. In addition to conventional tin plating, nickel plated copper braided wire can be used, and the nickel layer can remain stable within the pH range of 4-10. Attention should be paid to avoid using zinc containing coatings in chloride ion environments, while in hydrogen sulfide environments, it is necessary to ensure that the coatings are pore free.
Drastic temperature change
Temperature cycling can cause thermal expansion and contraction of materials. It is recommended to choose annealed soft copper braided wire, which has better ductility. Within a wide temperature range of -40 ℃ to 120 ℃, it is necessary to confirm that the expansion coefficient of the coating matches that of the substrate, in order to avoid cracking of the coating due to repeated thermal cycling. For scenarios where the temperature difference exceeds 100 ℃, it is recommended to verify reliability through accelerated aging testing.
special scenario
Special scenarios such as nuclear power plants and medical equipment must meet the requirements of non-magnetic and low volatility. At this time, oxygen free copper material should be selected and processing stress should be eliminated through vacuum annealing.
Systematic Environmental Assessment
Environmental adaptation is not simply about choosing the type of coating, but requires a systematic analysis of multidimensional factors such as temperature, humidity, chemical media, and mechanical stress. Suggest establishing an environmental parameter list and working with technical personnel to develop a selection matrix. If necessary, accelerated testing can be conducted in a simulated environment to detect potential risks in advance.
