Metal Whiskers: A Discussion of Risks and Mitigation

Abstract

Metal coatings, especially of tin, zinc, and cadmium, are unpredictably susceptible to the formation of electrically conductive, crystalline filaments referred to as metal whiskers. The use of such coatings in and around electrical systems presents a risk of electrical shorting. Examples of metal whisker formation are presented along with a discussion of optical inspection techniques to improve the probability of detecting them. In addition, the briefing charts describe the failure modes associated with metal whiskers (i.e., electrical shorting behavior) and the benefits of polyurethane conformal coatings, like Arathane 5750, to protect electrical conductors from whisker-induced short circuit anomalies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 30, 2010
Accession Number
ADA554092

Entities

People

  • Henning Leidecker
  • Jay A. Brusse
  • Lyudmyla Panashchenko

Organizations

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Circuits
  • Coatings
  • Data Analysis
  • Electrical Properties
  • Electronic Components
  • Electronics
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Films
  • Inspection
  • Materials
  • Metal Coatings
  • Metal Vapors
  • Military Aircraft
  • Probability
  • Resistance
  • Short Circuits
  • Test Methods

Readers

  • Aviation Safety Risk Assessment.
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Reinforced Composite Materials