Materials for sliding contacts in the twenty-first century

Summary form only given. The author discusses ceramic superconductors, low-temperature formation of ceramics, organic conductors, nanometer-scale composites, and ultralow-wear solids in terms of their potential uses in the field of sliding electrical contacts. For electrical contacts he suggests the possibility of high-lubricity, high-conductivity current collectors molded as a unit with supports, braids, and springs in low-cost reliable assemblies for small motors and a variety of control and information transfer sliprings. He notes that superconductors, and especially the high-temperature ceramic ones, represent a national technological thrust. These conductive ceramics possess structural stability, hardness, and strength. Sol-gel, pyrolysis, and other low-temperature techniques for forming inorganic solids offer the chance to tailor brushes with built-in lubricant, conductors, and reinforcement.<>