Plating Question

I have made many cables from old stock Western Electric copper wire that was tin-plated to resist corrosion.  I like soldering connections used with tinned copper wire (vs. a crimped connection), presuming the soldering process should melt the tin plating for an improved connection with the copper base metal.

I have used both unplated and plated (usually gold) pure copper connectors, but it seems perhaps excessive to obsess over plating when it is far more common to find connectors (wire and chassis connectors) made from a plated copper alloy with much lower conductivity than pure copper, such as Tellurium copper (50%), brass (25-50%), and Phosphor bronze (10-20%).

Have any of you seen studies/measurements of conductivity comparing bare copper with plated copper?  Is there really a penalty for the plating? I am skeptical that the difference between unplated and plated connectors could be heard by direct comparison.  Below is an excerpt/conclusion from AI (link to the whole response).

"For practical electrical connector applications, the initial, theoretical conductivity advantage of pure, unoxidized copper is often outweighed by the long-term stability and reliability offered by plated copper."

@ faustuss

thanks so much for your civil response.  Please do a bit more of "research" and you will see that no reputable metallurgical engineer would ever suggest mating tin and  gold.  Here is one of many comments of the subject:

https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/Information.asp?region=140#:~:text=It%20can%20take%20months%20or,the%20same%20contact%20plating%20type.

And no metallurgical engineer would tell you cryo treatment makes a difference in how electricity travels along wiring, yet lots of non-metallurgical engineers tell you they can hear a difference. 

@corelli  I’ve always used silver plated copper

• Pure copper can oxidize and turn green, which impedes signal transfer and can cause pitting on the surface of the connector
• Whereas silver plated copper combines the two best conductors and the silver plating only tarnishes. Tarnish has to be very severe to impede signal transfer to the same level as oxidized copper
• The tarnish can often be removed simply by reseating the connector, restoring the original conductivity
• Other plating materials do not have the conductive properties of silver or copper
• But if you want "pretty cables" then gold or rhodium look really good🥴

But ithe design of the connector also plays a key role in connector performance.

• Some of the best connectors currently available come from KLE Innovations

Silver plated copper will provide...

• Fastest dynamics
• Best imaging
• Finest micro details
• Articulate signal transfer

But that’s just my opinion after designing and building DIY HELIX cables, with the help of many others from around the world, for over 12 years.

Hope that helps

@corelli I did follow your link to Great Plains Electronics wherein I pasted this statement into the search bar.

"From an old Intel study: "Studies show that fretting occurs when tin comes in pressure contact with gold or any other metal. Tin debris will transfer to the gold surface and oxidize. Continued transfer will build up an oxide film layer. Mixing gold and tin leads doesn't always cause an immediate problem, the problem usually occurs over time.""

I found this one which provided no further references to any other sources or links.

"The study you referenced discusses how tin debris can transfer to gold surfaces and oxidize, leading to the buildup of an oxide film layer over time. This phenomenon is significant in various applications, including electronics, where the interaction between metals can affect performance and reliability. The study emphasizes that while immediate problems may not arise, long-term exposure to these interactions can lead to degradation and failure in devices.
For more detailed insights, you can refer to the full study here."

More on this later, I have to go to the bathroom.