Metal Whiskers: A Discussion of Risks and Mitigation

摘要

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.