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Whiskers growing from copper balls

My client is plating copper on steel tubing. There are whiskers growing from the copper balls toward the tubing growing in the direction of the fluid flow, opposite the direction of the tube flow. A cylinder of copper forms next to the tube that is shiny. Several other cylinders, older and darker, angle out from one end of the cylinder. The cylinders are connected to the copper balls by one of the whiskers. This has only happened once on one line after a year, and once on another line after one month.

Richard Helzerman
- Newburgh, Indiana, United States of America
2001

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Well, uh, umm . . . boy, Richard, is your question ever a great example of the adage "a picture is worth a thousand words".

Is it possible to send us a photo of this problem?

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2001