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Re: Cryogenic Treatment

The "shrinkage" of the molecules is only half the story; we all know that metal gets smaller in dimension as it gets colder. It is the other half of the story that is the most interesting. The cryo treatment is most effective for metals (and plastics) which have been fabricated by extreme physical processes such as bending, stamping, drawing, hammering, etc. that compressess, stretches etc. the atoms of the metal lattice structure into non-uniform clumps, patches, and bunches. When the metal (or plastic) is (slowly) thawed (second phase of the treatment), the atoms move farther away from each other (again) as the metal expands, but now the pattern of the atoms is more homogeneous, with less clumping and bunching. This reduction in clumping and compression of the atoms reduces the stress and strain of the metal or plastic. Presumably this reduction in stress/strain (and the fields they produce!) improves performance of cables and ICs; but it is difficult to prove this is the real "cause and effect" (IMO).


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  • Re: Cryogenic Treatment - geoffkait 11/11/0103:16:12 11/11/01 (1)


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