Mercury switch with non-wettable electrodes

Patent · Mon Mar 23 23:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6580725

Karnowsky, M M; Yost, F G

This patent describes a mercury switch having spaced conductive electrodes with contacts thereon which are bridged by a mercury pool when the switch is closed and free of the mercury pool when the switch is open. The improvement described here comprises: contacts on the conductive electrodes formed of a material selected from the group consisting of metallic borides, nitrides and silicides, with the proviso that the silicides do not include the silicides of Cr, Mo and W; whereby mercury wetting of the contacts is precluded, thereby avoiding undesired bridging of the contacts in the open position of the switch.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
• Patent Number(s): US 4652710
• OSTI ID: 6580725
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
BORIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
DESIGN
ELECTRIC BRIDGES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
MERCURY
METALS
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OPERATION
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
SILICIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SPACE DEPENDENCE
SWITCHES