Soldering terminology

Whisker refers to a crystal in which atoms form a homogeneous crystal lattice without structural defects. This phenomenon was first discovered after a malfunction occurred in the New York telephone network and the phone line shorted. In the tin sheathing of the copper cable, a highly pure acicular tin crystal formed under the effect of electrical resistance heating (I ² R), penetrated the outer wall of the cable and destroyed its insulation .

Due to the acicular out growth, these crystals became known as whiskers. Anecdotal evidence says that the whiskers are strong enough to push through a cable. Theoretically, it would be possible to use such crystals for e.g. the construction of mooring lines for bridges that would be much finer than conventional suspensions. However, the production of whiskers has been limited so far to the crystallization of solutes from saturated water solutions and other experimental methods. Industrial production will not commence any time soon. Sometimes circulated on the market, the commercial name "gypsum whisker" is misleading and should only suggest a very strong fiber .