A Trial of Continuous Production of Iron Whiskers

Abstract

Iron whisker, a single crystal of high purity, has high tensile strength. This material is expected to be used as fiber in composite materials as well as electrical materials.
While whiskers have excellent properties, utilization is limited because of nonuniformity of length and of diameter.
The author have investigated the optimum condition to obtain uniformity of length and thickness of whiskers in continuous production by reduction of FeCl₂-nH₂O with hydrogen. In this study the emphasis has been placed on the description of the usefullness of a gas curtain device combined with hinged door in the processing of iron whiskers, and the discussion on the growth mechanism has been made.