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CarbonConX™
Xerox has developed CarbonConX™ as an alternative to unreliable and
expensive metal contacts. Originally created for use in passive devices for
electrostatic discharge applications, CarbonConX™ has proven to be a
preferred technology for electrical switch components. Xerox CarbonConX™
technology offers high functionality with low complexity. Useful in a variety
of applications, CarbonConX™ makes use of pultrusion to form bundles of
carbon fibers into each contact, ensuring redundancy in the contact point.
Technology Description
The CarbonConX™ technology uses low-pressure pultrusion to bundle
thousands of carbon fibers into each contact, ensuring redundancy in the
contact point. This process involves pulling the carbon fibers and a
thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer through a shaping/curing die. The result
is a high-strength, electrically conductive contact.
Using carbon fibers makes the CarbonConX™ reliable, inert, and
multifunctional. Carbon fibers are less susceptible to corrosion than metal
contacts. Their nonreactive nature makes them ideal for use in harsh
environments, including saltwater, nuclear power, space, or medical X-ray
environments. Additionally, pultruded carbon fiber contacts can act as
structural members, due to the high strength material characteristics of the
polymer and carbon bundle. The high number of contacting fibers makes
CarbonConX™ attractive for applications where reliability is critical.
As produced, CarbonConX™ surfaces are inherently contact rich , providing
statistically regular, evenly distributed contact sites. The effective surface
area of a CarbonConX™ can be greater than the simple planar surface area,
depending on the engagement length of the fibers. The primary characteristics
of a CarbonConX™ are:
- High density of evenly distributed conduction sites
- Robust character of the carbon fibers results in high immunity to the
formation of non-conductive films and high contact integrity in contact
degrading environments
CarbonConX™ may be produced exhibiting conductivities in the metallic
range with the application of metal coated fibers. By use of controlled
carbonization techniques, the electrical conductivity of the carbon fibers can
be precisely tuned. A wide range of conductivities can be achieved by the use
of this process and designed directly into the CarbonConX™ material.
Integrating the resistor function into the contact structure further simplifies
component design, reduce part count, lowers cost and improves reliability. Non
plated CarbonConX™ can be applied with advantage over metallic contacts
especially in low energy circuitry. Typically, applied voltages of 100VDC or
less and current levels on the order of 100 ma/mm2 are practical.
CarbonConX™ contact resistances of a few hundred milliohms to a few
hundred ohms are determined by contact geometry, fiber characteristics and
normal force.
Key Specifications at a glance
Mechanical properties:
Supplemental information for T-300/M826/dia 1.6
| Carbon fiber |
|
| Tensile strength (min) |
3.1GPa(440 kpsi) |
| Tensile modulus(min) |
214 GPa(31x106psi) |
| Percent Elongation(min) |
1.2 |
| Tensile strength(typical) |
512 kpsi |
| Tensile modulus(typical) |
33x106psi |
| Percent Elongation(typical) |
1.5 |
| Electrical resistivity |
1500 microohms-cm |
| Polymer Modar 826 – modified acrylic resin |
|
| Flexural strength |
21,000 psi |
| Flexural modulus |
0.54 x 106psi |
| Tensile strength |
12,750psi |
| Tensile modulus |
0.60 x 106psi |
| Percent Elongation |
3.3 |
Benefits
CarbonConX™ has the following advantages over metal contacts:
Reliable - CarbonConX™ provides more contact area (i.e., thousands of
conducting fibers per contact), resist films formed on metal contacts, and have
lower failure rates.
Rugged - CarbonConX™ resists corrosion and contamination, even in harsh
environments.
Multifunctional - Using pultrusion to bundle the carbon fibers allows the
CarbonConX™ to conduct electricity and provide structural support.
Inert - Carbon fibers are nonfilming.
Versatile - CarbonConX™ can be manufactured in various design shapes and
configurations.
Low cost - CarbonConX™ have commodity pricing and use simple, efficient
manufacturing processes.
Proven - CarbonConX™ have been in practice for many years in commercially
available products. Manufacturing capability already exists to support future
expansion of the technology.
Applications
- Aerospace
- Consumer electronics
- DC motors
- Diagnostic X-ray equipment
- Electrical switches
- Electrostatic discharge devices
- Interconnects
- Medical X-ray equipment
- Moving rotational contacts
- Nuclear environment sensors
- Outdoor lighting contacts
- PWB interconnects
- Robotics
- Sensor components
- Underwater electrical devices
Intellectual Property Summary
The CarbonConX™ technology encompasses a patent portfolio of over 30
patents, published applications and extensive know-how. Issued core patents
relating to CarbonConX™ include U.S. 5,599,615 (High performance electric
contacts); U.S. 5,282,310 (Method for manufacturing a fibrillated pultruded
electronic component) and U.S. 5,396,044 (Method of making a fibrillated
pultruded electronic component using a laser beam).
Additional CarbonConX™ technology patents and published applications are
listed below.
| U.S. 20090324998 |
Scalable microbial fuel cell and
method of manufacture |
| U.S.
20110094777 |
Multilayer electrical
component, coating composition, and method of making electrical component |
| U.S. 20110035932 |
Electrical component, manufacturing
system and method |
| U.S.
20100230132 |
Non-metallic, integrated
sensor-interconnect device, manufacturing process, and related applications |
| U.S. 20100221517 |
Thermally responsive composite
member, related devices, and applications including structural applications |
| U.S.
20100143732 |
Composite containing
polymer, filler and metal plating catalyst, method of making same, and article
manufactured therefrom |
| U.S. 20090286038 |
Precision resistive elements and
related manufacturing process |
| U.S.
20090246521 |
Composition of matter for composite plastic contact elements featuring
controlled conduction pathways, and related manufacturing processes |
| U.S. 7927749 |
Microbial fuel cell and method |
| U.S. 7807303
|
Microbial fuel cell and
method |
| U.S. 7847191 |
Electrical component, manufacturing
system and method |
| U.S. 7789734
|
Multi-orifice fluid jet
to enable efficient, high precision micromachining |
| U.S. 7645399 |
Electroconductive composition |
| U.S.
7307112 |
Electrical component with
fillers having semi-resistive properties and composite systems comprising the
same |
| U.S. 7266322 |
Multi-functional electro-mechanical
interconnect, sensor, and mounting and method of mounting and biasing of a
rotatable member |
| U.S.
7245838 |
Printing platform |
| U.S. 7220131 |
Electromechanical device having a
plurality of bundles of fibers for interconnecting two planar surfaces |
| U.S.
7158746 |
Xerographic printer
having a semiresistive rotatable brush in the transfer zone |
| U.S. 7105594 |
Conductive carbon filled polyvinyl
butyral adhesive |
| U.S.
7067027 |
Method of making an
electro-mechanical roll |
| U.S. 7052763 |
Multi-element connector |
| U.S.
6584296 |
Electro-mechanical roll
with core and segments |
| U.S. 6289187 |
Carbon fiber commutator brush for a
toner developing device and method for making |
| U.S.
6265046 |
Electrical component
having fibers oriented in at least two directions |
| U.S. 6246012 |
Electroplated conductive carbon
fibers with adhesive |
| U.S.
6214921 |
Electrical component |
| U.S. 5887225 |
Solid carbon fiber electrical rod
developer bias contacting method |
| U.S.
5885683 |
Electrical component
exhibiting clean laser cut |
| U.S. 5843567 |
Electrical component containing
magnetic particles |
| U.S.
5812908 |
Carbon fiber electrical
contact mounting for rotating elements |
| U.S. 5794100 |
Carbon fiber electrical contact for
rotating elements |
| U.S.
5756998 |
Process for manufacturing
coated wire composite and a corona generating device produced thereby |
| U.S. 5744090 |
Process for the manufacture of
conductive fibers usable in electrostatic cleaning devices |
| U.S.
5689791 |
Electrically conductive
fibers |
| U.S. 5633700 |
Actuator for actuating a surface
contacting probe of a contacting electrostatic voltmeter |
| U.S.
5599615 |
High performance electric
contacts |
| U.S. 5537189 |
Printing apparatus which grounds
photoreceptor independently of CRU |
| U.S.
5492743 |
Pultruded member with
functional features |
| U.S. 5462773 |
Synchronized process for catalysis
of electroless metal plating on plastic |
| U.S.
5436696 |
Fibrillated pultruded
electronic component for grounding a photoconductor |
| U.S. 5420465 |
Switches and sensors utilizing
pultrusion contacts |
| U.S.
5414216 |
Electrostatographic
reproducing machine resistive carbon fiber wire |
| U.S. 5410386 |
Hollow pultruded electical
contact |
| U.S.
5399424 |
Fibrillated pultruded
electronic component |
| U.S. 5396044 |
Method of making a fibrillated
pultruded electronic component using a laser beam |
| U.S.
5366773 |
Tubular pultruded member
having uniform wall thickness |
| U.S. 5282310 |
Method for manufacturing a
fibrillated pultruded electronic component |
| U.S.
5281771 |
Multilayer wiring board,
interlevel connector, and method for making same |
| U.S. 5270660 |
Electrostatic voltmeter employing
high voltage integrated circuit devices |
For Licensing Information
To learn more about licensing the CarbonConX™ technology.
|
United States
