A TENTATIVE THEORY OF METALLIC WHISKER GROWTH

Abstract

The surface-tension forces on a small hump of a metallic surface are considered in a theory of metallic whisker growth. Approximate calculations relate the whisker radius to a Frank-Read source at the surface of the metal. The rate of growth of a tin whisker at room temperature is calculated to be from 1 mm to 1 cm per year for K Beta n - 100 to 1000. K is a factor depending on the detailed stress distribution, Beta is the number of lattice sites which can emit or absorb vacancies, and n is the number of loops in transit between the source and the surface at one time.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1953
Accession Number
AD0018619

Entities

People

  • J. D. Eshelby

Organizations

  • University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atmospheres
  • Depression
  • Diameters
  • Diffusion
  • Dislocations
  • Flow
  • Illinois
  • Observation
  • Physical Properties
  • Plastic Flow
  • Surface Tension
  • Universities

Readers

  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics