Cartomizer anatomy.

(A) A dissected cartomizer. 1 = mouthpiece, 2 = air tube, 3 = solder joint between air tube and thick wire, 4 = solder joint between thick wire and filament, 5 = wick, 6 = filament, 7 = solder joint between the filament and thick wire, 8 = thick wire, 9 = solder joint where the thick wire would attach to the mouthpiece, 10 = inner fibers, 11 = black area on inner fibers, 12 = outer fibers with yellow electrophoretic band. (B) EDS spectrum showing that the filament is comprised of chromium and nickel. Insert shows the particulate surface of the filament. (C) Scanning electron micrographs (inserts) and EDS spectrum of the thick wire which is comprised of copper coated with silver. Asterisks (*) in the upper insert indicates area where silver coating is missing and copper wire is exposed; white box indicates the silver coating. Lower insert shows the surface of the copper wire at high magnification. (D) EDS spectrum showing that solder joints are comprised mainly of tin. Upper insert shows a typical poor quality solder joint between the filament and thick wire. Boxed area is shown at higher magnification in the lower insert and contains tin whiskers. (E–H) Images of fiber types, (E, F) inner fibers, and (G, H) outer fibers. (E, G) black deposits on fibers and (F, H) green coloration on both sets of fibers.