| Tin Plague: Definition: "The disintegration of pure tin into powder at very low temperatures as it loses its crystalline structure" - Source: The Pewter Society.
An environmental degradation mechanism involving tin, resulting from exposure to low temperatures, is referred to as tin plague. It is also known as "tin disease" or "tin pest". When tin is cooled to temperatures below 13°C, a (gradual) phase change occurs from white tin (tetragonal) to gray tin (cubic). This phase change has been associated with disintegration of tin into a powdery form. When first noted on organ pipes in Europe, it was reportedly initially attributed to the devil's work. "Tin disease has certainly resulted in the
destruction of tin organ Disintegration of tin dishes and cutlery in cold weather expeditions, kerosene containers (Captain Robert Scott's Antarctic expedition) and the "destruction" of a rail shipment of tin from Holland to Russia have been attributed to this effect. Several reports have linked this effect to the disastrous disintegration of tin buttons in Napoleon's army in the depths of the Russian winter - but such claims have also been disputed. Section X6.2.2 of the ASTM B545 (97 Edition) standard, related to
electroplated tin coatings, cautions against "tin pest or disease".
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