PEOPLE helping each other -- No AI, cost, registration, or damn popups
(As an Amazon Associate & eBay Partner we earn from qualifying purchases)

Curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

  The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing 1989-2025

-----

Tin whisker growth

Q. I am looking for any information on research on whisker growth when using a bright acid tin plating process.

Mark Boone
1998

Hi Mark,

A large amount of research is available; a quick computerized literature search through the Metal Finishing Information Service showed some 20 articles with 'whiskers' in the title in electroplating industry journals alone.

But the short version is that electrodeposited tin (and several other metals) have internal stresses, and it is believed that this force powers the growth of the whiskers in an attempt to reduce the stress. Partial or total cures can involve stress relief reflowing and alloy plating. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

NASA has a page on tin whiskers at: http://nepp.nasa.gov/whisker/

Kirk Mueller
Raytheon Systems Co. - Los Angeles, California
2000

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: