Electrical connectors incorporate a composite coating of molybdenum disulfide
and a metal, preferably tin, for one or both of the contact surfaces of the electrical
connector. The coating provides for a low coefficient of friction, low contact
resistance, and good electrical conductivity, as well as good mechanical properties.
The coating also reduces the insertion force of the electrical connectors, thereby
increasing the number of possible terminal pairs and/or reducing terminal bending
and breakage for a manually mated connector. The coating can be deposited on copper,
tin-plated copper, tin alloy-plated copper or other metallic substrates, using
any of several physical vapor deposition methods.
