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Basics of the Process
For years, the development of cryogenic treatments was surrounded by scepticism. This was partly due to the fact that their application has been fundamentally empirical, based on experience.
Fortunately, in the light of the unquestionable evidence of the results, over the last few years increasing effort has been made into the research involving numerous universities and research centres from around the world. In any case it is an arduous and costly task given the great quantity of different materials and applications (apart from other variables) to consider.
What happens to the materials when they are subjected to the process? To be honest, we have to admit that there are certain points not completely understood yet. However, some well-known phenomena do exist. In the case of steel, the low temperatures favour the transformation of the austenite remaining after tempering to martensite, a harder and stronger phase of steel. It is also known that at cryogenic temperatures precipitations of fine carbides are produced, which lead to more resistant and homogeneous structures.
This does not explain the phenomena observed in other types of material although it has been observed recently that other similar types of precipitations also occur in non-ferrous alloys. Certain theories point to changes in the microcrystalline lattice due to the fact that, at 0ºK, the crystals would be in their ideal state. On approaching these temperatures the crystals are rearranged, the grain becomes finer, small defects and dislocations are eliminated, etc. In short, a material is obtained with an improved microstructure which is displayed as improvements in its performances.
