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The origin of driving force for the formation of Sn whiskers at room temperature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Shi-Bo Li*
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Electronic Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Guo-Ping Bei
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Electronic Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Hong-Xiang Zhai
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Electronic Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Zhi-Li Zhang
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Electronic Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Yang Zhou
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Electronic Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Cui-Wei Li
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Electronic Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: shibo-li@sohu.com
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Abstract

Sn whiskers can form at room temperature on the agglomerated flakes produced by mechanical alloying (MA) of Ti, Sn, and C powders, whether the flakes are stored in air or water. The Sn whiskers forming in air are tens of micrometers to several centimeters in length and 0.5 to ∼10 μm in diameter. Whereas a large amount of Sn polyhedra forms on the flakes that are stored in water, a small amount of Sn whiskers forms on the polyhedra. The driving force for Sn whisker formation is the compressive stress induced by mechanical alloying (MA) and oxidation. The mechanism about the spontaneous growth of metal whiskers is discussed.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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