NiobiCon™ Wet-Mate Electrical Connector

Northrop Grumman's NiobiCon™ offers an innovative, safer way of making electrical connections underwater. This novel wet-mate connector technology allows for power transfer and data exchange without seals, oil or moving parts.

NiobiCon™ can be mated and de-mated while the electrical contacts are fully exposed to seawater, thanks to its fabrication from pure niobium. When the niobium is in contact with water, it reacts to create a film that acts as an insulator and prevents electricity from flowing through the water surrounding the contacts. Rather than relying on complex seals and oil to exclude water as in traditional wet-mate connections, NiobiCon™ relies on the water surrounding the contacts to form the insulation. Electrical contacts will not corrode and electronics will not short out.

The NiobiCon™ connector is less expensive, smaller, lighter, more reliable, and safer than current technology connectors.

Benefits of the NiobiCon™ technology include:

• No seals, O-rings or oil
• Wet-mate above water or fully submerged
• Ideal for low voltage operations up to 60V DC
• Nearly infinite number of mates/de-mates without maintenance
• No inherent depth limit
• In-water safety
• Mate and de-mate while power is on
• Can be designed for loose alignment tolerances
• Low mating force
• Not susceptible to corrosion
• Does not require complex mechanical components
• Simple design enables miniaturization