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RE: the mechanical engineering problem
Original poster: Jim Lux <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
At 11:07 AM 1/12/2007, you wrote:
Original poster: "Leigh Copp" <Leigh.Copp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
I've never actually heard of anyone using the silver plate to enhance
the surface conductivity with respect to skin effect, and the return on
investment so to speak, as laid out in Mike's post, is pretty accurate.
I assume you mean for tesla coiling. We silver plate RF components
like inductors all the time for moderate frequencies. Resonant
cavities are often silver plated (or gold plated). And, of course,
high power waveguide for microwaves is often plated to keep the
dissipation down.
And, waveguide made of carbon fiber composite is usually silver plated.
The predominant reason for silver plating bus work is that it resists
corrosion better than copper (but is cheaper than gold); when it does
oxidize it conducts more reliably than copper, and it has the lowest
electrical resistivity of any metal. This is why the contact faces only,
are typically silver plated in the induction equipment mentioned below.
Gold -is- superior for this application, if price is no object. The
conductivity is significantly lower, but the corrosion resistance is of
course improved.
Contact surfaces are also made of a silver palladium alloy, which is
non-corroding, and has a "self cleaning" property when contacts are
made and broken.