Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T17:22:57.348Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Spontaneous room temperature extrusion of Pb nano-whiskers from leaded brass surfaces

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Z.M. Sun*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104; and National Institute of Advanced IndustrialScience and Technology (AIST), Nagoya 463-8560, Japan
M.W. Barsoum*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
*
a) Address all correspondence to these authors. e-mail: z.m.sun@aist.go.jp
b) Address all correspondence to these authors. e-mail: barsoumw@drexel.edu
Get access

Abstract

We report that lightly abrading the surface of a commercial leaded brass results in the room temperature spontaneous growth of Pb whiskers and hillocks. The aspect ratios and submicron diameters of the whiskers that form render them easily dispersible in the atmosphere, with potentially serious health effects, especially for people that deal with leaded brass on a daily basis.

Type
Rapid Communications
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Kuyucak, S. and Sahoo, M.: A review of the machinability of copper-base alloys. Can. Metall. Quart. 35, 1 (1996).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Rabab, M., Ismail, K.M. El-Sherif and Badawy, W.A.: Effect of Zn and Pb as alloying elements on the electrochemical behavior of brass in NaCl solutions. Electrochim. Acta 49, 5139 (2004).Google Scholar
3.Annual Data 2004, Copper/Brass/Bronze, Copper Supply and Consumption, 1983-2003, Copper Development Association Inc. <http://www.copper.org/resources/market_data/pdfs/2004_Annual_Data.pdf> (2004).+(2004).>Google Scholar
4.Grandjean, P.: Widening perspectives of lead toxicity—a review of health effects of lead exposure in adults. Environ. Res. 17, 303 (1978).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Gidlow, D.A.: Lead toxicity. Occup. Med. 54, 76 (2004).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Crippa, M., Apostoli, P., Quarta, C. and Alessio, L.: Risk of exposure to metals in the production and processing of copper alloys. Med. Lav. 82, 261 (1991).Google ScholarPubMed
7.Gerhardsson, L., Brune, D., Nordberg, G.F. and Wester, P.O.: Distribution of cadmium, lead and zinc in lung, liver and kidney in long-term exposed smelter workers. Sci. Total Environ. 50, 65 (1986).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Gerhardsson, L.: Lead in tissues of deceased lead smelter workers. J. Trace Elem. Med. Biol. 9, 136 (1995).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Chan, J., Sim, M., Golec, R. and Forbes, A.: Predictors of lead absorption in children of lead workers. Occup. Med. 50, 398 (2000).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Manton, W.I., Angle, C.R., Stanek, K.L., Reese, Y.R. and Kuehnemann, T.J.: Acquisition and retention of lead by young children. Environ. Res. 82, 60 (2000).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Heath, L.M., Soole, K.L., McLaughlin, M.L., McEwan, G.T. and Edwards, J.W.: Toxicity of environmental lead and the influence of intestinal absorption in children. Rev. Environ. Health. 18, 231 (2003).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Grigg, J.: Environmental toxins: Their impact on children’s health. Arch. Dis. Child. 89, 244 (2004).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Bryant, S.D.: Lead-contaminated drinking waters in the public schools of Philadelphia. J. Toxicol. Clin. Toxicol. 42, 287 (2004).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Ellis, W.C., Gibbons, D.F. and Treuting, R.G.: in Growth and Perfection in Crystals, edited by Doremus, R.M., Roberts, B.W., and Turnbull, D. (John Wiley, New York, 1958), p. 102.Google Scholar
15.Lindborg, U.: Observations on the growth of whisker crystals from zinc electroplate. Metall. Trans. 6A, 1581 (1975).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Lindborg, U.: A model for the spontaneous growth of zinc, cadmium, and tin whiskers. Acta Metall. 24, 181 (1976).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Lee, B-Z. and Lee, D.N.: Spontaneous growth mechanism of tin whiskers. Acta Mater. 46, 3701 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Kim, D-K.: Microstructure of thermal hillocks on blanket Al thin films. Thin Solid Films 371, 278 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Barsoum, M.W., Hoffman, E.N., Doherty, R.D., Gupta, S. and Zavaliangos, A.: Driving force and mechanism for spontaneous metal whisker formation. Phys. Rev. Lett. 93 206104-1 (2004).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Werner, Th., Tidecks, R. and Johnston, B.D.: Whiskers from the In-Pb system: Growth, handling and characteristic properties. J. Cryst. Growth 73, 467 (1985).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21.Murakami, M. and Kuan, T.S.: Thermal strain in lead thin films V: Strain relaxation above room temperature. Thin Solid Films 66, 381 (1980).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Monchoux, J.P. and Rabkin, E.: Microstucture evolution and interfacial properties in the Fe–Pb system. Acta Mater. 50, 3159 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23.Froines, J.R., Baron, S., Wegman, D.H. and O’Rourke, S.: Characterization of the airborne concentrations of lead in U.S. industry. Am. J. Ind. Med. 18, 1 (1990).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.Baan, R.A. and Grosse, Y.: Man-made mineral (vitreous) fibres: Evaluations of cancer hazards by the IARC monographs programme. Mutat. Res. 553, 43 (2004).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.John, B.E. and Boatright, D.: Lead toxicity from gunshot wound. South. Med. J. 92, 223 (1999).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26.Gulson, B.L., Law, A.J., Korsch, M.J. and Mizon, K.J.: Effect of plumbing systems on lead content of drinking water and contribution to lead body burden. Sci. Total Environ. 144, 279 (1994).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27.Maas, R.P., Patch, S.C. and Parker, A.F.: An assessment of lead exposure potential from residential cutoff valves. J. Environ. Health. 65, 9 (2002).Google ScholarPubMed