China and Russia develop extreme cold-resistant material that can maintain mechanical properties at -150°C

The material is expected to be ideal for making mechanical parts and structures that operate in extremely cold conditions.

This material has the ability to maintain its mechanical properties even in extremely cold conditions. (Photo: AI)

According to People's Daily Online (China), scientists from the National Research University of Technology of Russia and the China University of Mining and Geology (Beijing) have jointly developed a new composite material that can maintain its mechanical properties even in extremely cold conditions, down to -150℃. This material is composed of metal and metallic glass compounds , forming a layered structure.

The highlight of this material is its ability to resist brittle fracture at low temperatures . When subjected to impact, the material does not break into pieces like traditional materials. This phenomenon is related to the transition process at the boundary between crystalline metal and amorphous metal alloy. When a crack appears at this boundary, the atoms at the crack tip will move, causing strong local heating, making the metal more ductile, changing the fracture properties and preventing the propagation of the crack. This helps the specimen maintain its strength under low temperature conditions.

In addition , the new material is easy to process and improve , with the manufacturing technology based on the traditional welding of materials with different compositions. The research team has determined the effective temperature to prevent crystallization of metallic glass when the components are well bonded together.

In the future, the team plans to optimize the manufacturing process and improve the composition of the material to enhance mechanical strength and radiation resistance in low-temperature environments. They believe that this invention will have wide applications in fields such as aerospace, refrigeration industry and polar operations, especially in the manufacture of mechanical parts and structures that operate in extremely cold conditions.