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.