Study on the Impact of Non-Metallic Material Vacuum Volatiles on the Electrical Transmission Performance of Conductive Slip Rings
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Abstract
Conductive slip rings transmit electrical signals and power through rotational friction, during which wear debris is gradually generated and accumulated. Under vacuum conditions, condensable volatiles released from non-metallic materials may adhere to the friction pair surfaces, affecting contact stability and degrading electromagnetic signal transmission reliability. To investigate the electrical signal dynamic resistance anomalies observed during high- and lowtemperature vacuum tests of column-type slip rings in spacecraft drive mechanisms, experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of condensable organic volatiles on the electrical transmission performance of conductive slip rings in a vacuum environment. The results show that non-metallic materials release volatile substances under vacuum conditions, with elemental analysis identifying C, O, Si, S, and Cl as the primary non-metallic components. Spectral analysis of the organic materials and comparative characterization indicate that GD-414C adhesive is the major source of the condensed organic mixture. The accumulation of these volatiles on slip ring friction pair surfaces promotes wear debris aggregation and leads to significant electrical signal dynamic resistance anomalies. The findings provide theoretical support for contamination control and electromagnetic transmission reliability enhancement in high-reliability rotary electrical interfaces operating in vacuum environments.
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