Anti-tarnishing something...

[Externet]

Hi. 

Once upon a time, saw silver utensils had a paper sheet in their box claiming the utensils would not need cleaning if such paper was kept in their proximity.  Some 'magical' compound impregnated the paper 

My oscilloscopes are seeing little exercising of the buttons, switches, levers, controls lately... which I believe are mostly made of brass/bronze/copper.

What compound could I keep inside electronic equipment that will prevent contacts to become tarnished and perform less than ideal, impregnating something ?   I guess the electronic instruments would have to be covered to avoid air flow in them for such 'magic' compound to be more effective, right ?

[chenbeier]

Contacts normaly coated by gold,tin, or other noble metal, there will be no oxidation. Copper ones have to be cleaned time to time by special contact spray, but dont put anti tarnish on it. It will work like a resistor and the contact will not work probably.

Edited January 12, 2023 by chenbeier

[Externet]

Thank you. 

No intentions of coating/spraying components; just wondering if the "presence effect" of such volatile compound-impregnated paper or cloth inside electronics instruments would be of help to  prevent trouble. 

The something-impregnated felt torus that perform very well on automotive batteries; do those work by nearby "presence" or by contact with the terminals ?

 

 

[npts2020]

I don't know if there is an analogy for electronics but in mechanical engineering they will use something called a "sacrificial anode". The way it works is to have a more reactive material near whatever it is you don't want corroded. For example, on board large ships the main engines are cooled with seawater (very corrosive) so to keep it from rusting out the condensers, zinc anodes are attached where saltwater passes through and they rust preferentially instead of the inside of the contraption.

[exchemist]

On 1/12/2023 at 3:20 PM, Externet said:

Thank you. 

No intentions of coating/spraying components; just wondering if the "presence effect" of such volatile compound-impregnated paper or cloth inside electronics instruments would be of help to  prevent trouble. 

The something-impregnated felt torus that perform very well on automotive batteries; do those work by nearby "presence" or by contact with the terminals ?

 

 

Only just seen this thread. When I was at Shell, we marketed products called "vapour space inhibitors" that were used to protect things like engine components  - or even fully assembled engines and other machines in prolonged storage. There is an article on them here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_corrosion_inhibitor

With most machinery of course it does not matter if there is a very thin chemisorbed film on the surface. So what I can't comment on is the effect any of these compounds might have on the conductivity at electrical contacts. If voltages are low I imagine even a thin protective film of a chemisorbed compound could have an effect.  

 

[Externet]

Your opinion is always welcome.

I put these inside an oscilloscope to guess protecting contacts from becoming poorly conductive when the device becomes out of storage back into operation, as I did not  know better alternate compound :

Intended for automotive batteries.  Somehow now unreadable at link in a post above.  These are contacting the battery poles, but does not seem the touch is important; just its nearby presence matters.

The intention is not about coating contacts, it is about inhibiting corrosion on their nearby surfaces.   (Images borrowed from the web)

 

Edited March 15, 2023 by Externet

[StringJunky]

I think the rings are impregnated to absorb hydrogen and sulphuric acid leakage at car battery terminals.

https://www.autozone.com/diy/battery/clean-car-battery-corrosion

Why not put them in a metallised bag with a silica sachet in for LT storage? The shiny bags are airproof.

 

Edited March 15, 2023 by StringJunky

[Externet]

If the something-impregnaterd felt rings were absorbing something, they would alter their appearance or degrade their effect.  It does not happen, lasting years.  A battery in the engine compartment is very ventilated and a battery never gets warm.  The point of leak yes, may be the poles-to-case joint.

As I read somewhere, the inhibiting chemical could be benzotriazole.  Interestingly, ibuprofen could be effective.