UNIVERSITY OF

ILLINOIS

URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Stinville Research Group

Materials Science and Engineering

NEWS ABOUT US

Liquid Helium Mechanical Testing

We are thrilled to announce that our research group has successfully implemented mechanical testing at liquid helium temperature! This groundbreaking achievement paves the way for innovative advancements in multiple industries, particularly:

🌌 Space: Given the extreme temperatures of outer space, understanding material behavior at such low temperatures is crucial for the development of more resilient spacecraft, satellites, and equipment.

🔋 Nuclear: As we push the boundaries of nuclear technology, it becomes increasingly important to understand how materials will react and hold up under the harsh, cold conditions of nuclear environments.

💧 Hydrogen Applications: With the world moving towards more sustainable energy solutions, hydrogen stands at the forefront. Testing at liquid helium temperatures helps us ensure that our materials can withstand the extreme conditions they’ll face in the real-world hydrogen storage and transportation scenarios.

Our team’s dedication and hard work have made this milestone possible, and we believe this breakthrough will significantly impact and benefit the scientific community. We’re excited to dive deeper into our research and continue exploring the infinite possibilities that our new testing capabilities present.

🌡️ Temperature Range: From an ultra-cold 4 Kelvin (close to absolute zero!) to 77 Kelvin (liquid nitrogen temperatures).

🔗 Testing Modes:

  1. Tension: Stretching materials to determine their tensile strength and elongation capabilities.
  2. Tension-Compression: Assessing the material’s ability to withstand both stretching and compressive forces, helping us understand its complete mechanical behavior.
  3. Fatigue: Subjecting materials to repeated load cycles to determine how they withstand stresses over time, an essential parameter for assessing long-term reliability.

📏 Force and Measurement Capabilities:

  • We can apply forces up to 20 kN, allowing us to test a wide range of materials
  • Our advanced setup also captures detailed temperature and strain measurements during testing, ensuring precise and reliable data collection.
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