Whisker problems have been experienced by SMART Group members on PCB surface finishes and component terminations. Even when all of the existing mitigating practices have been followed [these problems] can still occur....

Given the long history and current use of electroless nickel, both on circuit board bare fabs and components, along with the historic tin whisker testing on nickel coated components, it looks like the search for an effective, easily-reworkable, easily-implemented, cost-effective process for the elimination of tin whiskers is over.
—John Burke, RoHSUSA.com

LDF Coatings Patent-Pending Process

Learn about our revolutionary new process that applies electroless nickel to electronic assemblies to eliminate (not just mitigate) the tin whisker problem. Whisker Inpenetrable Metal Cap Process for Electronic Assemblies (PDF format)

Tin Whiskers: A History of Documented Electrical System Failures

A Briefing Prepared for the Space Shuttle Program Office by Dr. Henning Leidecker/NASA Goddard Jay Brusse/QSS Group, Inc.

Tin Whisker Failures

Useful Links:

IPC Medical Industries Technical Conference: Lead-Free Reliability Readiness
November 7-9, 2012 | Wyndham Hotel-Boston | Andover, Massachusetts

Register here for the IPC Medical Industries Technical Conference: Lead-Free Reliability Readiness

Electrical Failure of an Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor Caused by a Tin Whisker...; Leidecker, Panashchenko, Brusse; CALCE 5th Internation Tin Whisker Symposium

LDF Coatings Patent Application: Selective Application By Electroless Plating Of A Tin-Whisker Impenetrable Metal Cap To Metals On Electronic Assemblies

Factors Governing Tin Whisker Growth...; Erika R. Crandall; Doctoral Dissertation

Video - Melting tin whiskers using a Volt/Ohm meter

Toyota's Sudden Acceleration Problem May Have Been Triggered By Tin Whiskers; Silke Carty, Sharon; The Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com; January 24, 2012

Whisker-Inpenetrable Metal Cap Process for Electronic Assemblies; Landman, Davy, Fritz; Reliability Society 2010 Annual Technical Report

Read John Burke's full article at: http://www.pcbdesign007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=71147

RealTime™ video of SMT Magazine guest editor Bob Neves' interview with LDF Coatings co-founder Dennis Fritz at the Electronics Midwest 2010 conference:http://realtimewith.com/pages/rtwvprofile.cgi?rtwvcatid=11&rtwvid=1555

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center tin whisker page:
http://nepp.nasa.gov/whisker

Osborn, Kris. "Army Works to Decrease Lead-Free Electronic Components." Army AL&T Online. Sept. 2010. http://www.usaasc.info/alt_online/article.cfm?iID=1009&aid=09

Tin Whiskers—A Long Term RoHS Reliability Problem; Robert J. Landman, H&L Instruments; IEEE Reliability Society 2008 Annual Technology Report.

A comprehensive compilation of tin whisker articles, PowerPoint presentations, movies, and pictures:http://www.hlinstruments.com/RoHS_articles

Wikipedia Reference: Whisker (metallurgy)