Method of manufacture of encapsulated gallium alloy containing switch
AssigneeThermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
InventorsMarcos Hernandez, Carl Rosenblatt
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Abstract
Encapsulated switches are disclosed which substitute non-toxic gallium alloy for mercury. In one embodiment, wetting of the interior surfaces of the housing is prevented by coating the surfaces with an electrically insulative inorganic non-metallic material, such as alumina or boron nitrate. According to another embodiment, a perfluorocarbon liquid is employed as the anti-wetting agent.
Claims18
A method for treating a surface to reduce its wettability by a gallium alloy, the method comprising a step of coating the surface with an electrically insulative inorganic non-metallic material.
A method of manufacturing an encapsulated switch, comprising:
- applying a coating of an anti-wetting agent to interior surfaces of a housing, the anti-wetting agent being an electrically insulative inorganic non-metallic material;
- adding a quantity of a gallium alloy to the interior volume of the housing;
- and
- attaching and sealing an electrode assembly to the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.