Trends and Advances in Cryogenic Materials

Increased emphasis has been placed on research and development of specialized materials for use in low-temperature applications. Most research has been driven by (1) the construction of large superconducting coils, (2) requirements for transport and storage of liquefied natural gas, and (3) the discovery of superconductors with critical temperatures Tc as high as 90 K. The integration between structural design and material properties for critical low-temperature applications has been facilitated by the incorporation of fracture mechanics concepts. This development has led to measurement of an entirely new set of mechanical properties at low temperatures, to increased nondestructive inspection to measure in-situ flaw sizes, and to the development of fracture control practices for a number of cryogenic applications.