--- title: "Zinc Whiskers in Data Centers: why are these the silent troublemakers?" description: What are Zinc Whiskers? Why are Zinc Whiskers in Data Centers so problematic? Learn more about this issue and how to avoid it with Sikla solutions. image: https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hubfs/Blog%20SES/Art%C3%ADculo_CPD/CPD_newsletter.jpg --- [![Logo_Sikla](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hubfs/Corporate%20Identity/Logo/Logo_Sikla_Versuch.png "Logo_Sikla")](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/www.sikla.co.uk?hsLang=en) - [Homepage](https://www.sikla.co.uk/) - [Contact Us](https://www.sikla.co.uk/home-page-134051/our-company-134096/sikla-uk-sikla-oceania-134085) - [E-Catalogue](https://www.sikla.co.uk/home-page-134051/products-134077/e-catalogue-134053) - [Latest Posts](https://blog.sikla.co.uk) ## Modular Steel & Pipe Supports Save Time – Reduce Costs ![data centers zinc whiskers](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hubfs/Blog%20SES/Art%C3%ADculo_CPD/CPD_newsletter.jpg) # Zinc Whiskers in Data Centers: why are these the silent troublemakers? By Sikla UK Oceania on 22 April 2021 The rise of new technologies, and more recently big data and artificial intelligence, has led in recent years to a huge growth of Data Centers construction worldwide. [Sikla UK’s](https://www.sikla.com/en-GB) involvement in [Data Center projects](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/siframo-benefits-on-data-center-projects?hsLang=en) over the last years has covered many solutions to some of the largest names in data services. We all know about the high demanding requirements and specifications that these projects bring! ![example1](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20SUK/Data%20Centers/example1.jpg?width=401&name=example1.jpg) If you are also used to work with Data Center planning & construction, you are probably familiar by now with the term "Whisker Free", right? This is a fundamental requirement of equipment or structures to be installed in any Data Center! ## But what are Zinc Whiskers after all? It relates to a phenomenon that occurs in zinc galvanised materials. Zinc is submitted to a pressure from which it naturally tends to release microscopic shavings, producing this particular effect. The zinc filaments that are generated are microscopic in length and are very sensitive to detachment from the base material. The combination of both factors is what makes them infiltrating agents that will hinder the proper functioning of the Data Center. ![Zinc Whiskers](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Zinc%20whisker_Imagen.png?width=450&name=Zinc%20whisker_Imagen.png) Zinc whiskers at a microscopic scale ## Why are Zinc Whiskers so dangerous for a Data Center? The [cooling system in a Data Center](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6779730896527343616) circulates the cold air upwards through the server core. If zinc whiskers are present, these will be dragged along by the ventilation flow and are quite likely to lodge anywhere in the system. At this point, it is worth remembering that zinc is a great conductor of electricity. If any of these microscopic filaments get into any electronic board it will produce short circuits and interrupt the operation of the Data Center servers. The consequence? An economic loss (and even data loss!) that comes along with the disruption of the system! ![Free cooling](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Free%20cooling_Imagen.jpg?width=450&name=Free%20cooling_Imagen.jpg) *Servers room cooling system* ## So how can you avoid these damages in your Data Center Project? The best way of avoiding any damages by Zinc Whiskers is to ensure that they can't be generated. And how would you do that? By using materials with a certain level of corrosion resistance. Sikla's experience with Data Center projects made us realise that custom finishes like [Powder Coating](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/highcorrosionprotection-hcp?hsLang=en) allow siFramo (our [Modular Steel Framing System](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hubfs/Blog%20SUK/E-Book%20All%20About%20siFramo%20Dec%202020.pdf?hsLang=en)) to be used in areas that usually wouldn't. These are areas where “zinc whiskers” would be a common issue in bracketry products that contain higher volumes of zinc. ![siFramo modular steel for data centers](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20SUK/Data%20Centers/siFramo%20modular%20steel%20for%20data%20centers.jpg?width=463&name=siFramo%20modular%20steel%20for%20data%20centers.jpg) So at Sikla we do have a range of material that works as a great ally in the battle against these zinc whiskers. Our [High Corrosion protected components](https://sikladxpprodassets.blob.core.windows.net/documents/int/brochures/39517.pdf) are manufactured in accordance with the ISO 1461:2019 standard and certified by our Engineering Department as a "Whisker Free" material. If you want your Data Center projects to benefit from Sikla solutions, contact us now!   Written by [Sikla UK Oceania](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/author/sikla-uk-oceania) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/sikla-uk-oceania) Share this page: [![Share on Facebook](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Corporate%20Identity/Social%20Media%20Icons/facebook.png?width=24&name=facebook.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.sikla.co.uk%2Fzinc-whiskers-in-data-centers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Corporate%20Identity/Social%20Media%20Icons/linkedin.png?width=24&name=linkedin.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.sikla.co.uk%2Fzinc-whiskers-in-data-centers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Corporate%20Identity/Social%20Media%20Icons/twitter.png?width=24&name=twitter.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.sikla.co.uk%2Fzinc-whiskers-in-data-centers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.sikla.co.uk%2Fzinc-whiskers-in-data-centers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Zinc%20Whiskers%20in%20Data%20Centers%3A%20why%20are%20these%20the%20silent%20troublemakers%3F) [![Share on Email](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/hs_marketplace_assets/modules/Follow%20Me/77/Social%20Media%20Icons%20Custom/icon-mail-hover-gro%C3%9F.png?width=24&name=icon-mail-hover-gro%C3%9F.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.sikla.co.uk%2Fzinc-whiskers-in-data-centers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.sikla.co.uk%2Fzinc-whiskers-in-data-centers%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ##### Comments 0 Follow us [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5725013/225ba648-7ca5-48b9-97e3-101d4f8d8546.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5725013/225ba648-7ca5-48b9-97e3-101d4f8d8546)   [![YouTube Sikla UK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5725013/7cc07036-eed0-4c7c-9993-e7aa1327bd9b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5725013/7cc07036-eed0-4c7c-9993-e7aa1327bd9b)   [![Flickr SUK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5725013/ebf644b9-87d4-4ca2-b93c-64bbe2d3e79b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5725013/ebf644b9-87d4-4ca2-b93c-64bbe2d3e79b) ### Blog Categories - [Modular Steel siFramo (40)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/modular-steel-siframo) - [Pipe Supports (15)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/pipe-supports) - [Offsite (12)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/offsite) - [Case Studies (11)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/case-studies) - [Power Engineering (10)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/power-engineering) - [company news (9)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/company-news) - [BIM (8)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/bim) - [Design & Software (8)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/design-software) - [Steel Corrosion Protection (6)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/steel-corrosion-protection) - [Sustainability (6)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/sustainability) - [Chemical & Industrial (4)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/chemical-industrial) - [Seismic (4)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/seismic) - [Strut-Channel (3)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/strut-channel) - [siFramo (3)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/siframo) - [siMetrix (3)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/simetrix) - [Data Centers (2)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/data-centers) - [Design & Engineering (1)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/design-engineering) - [Fire Protection (1)](https://blog.sikla.co.uk/tag/fire-protection) More ---   ### subscribe! 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