Effect of Strain Rate on Measured Mechanical Properties of Stainless Steel at 4 K

Abstract

At ambient temperature, the specimen heating induced during straining in a tensile test is relatively small; on the order of a few degrees at strain rates normally used. As the test temperature decreases, in most materials the specific heat decreases and the temperature rise will be greater than at room temperature for the same amount of work. At the same time, thermal conductivity decreases in most materials and therefore, any additional heating is slower to dissipate. The effect becomes increasingly pronounced as the test temperature is decreased to 4 K, at which tensile tests performed at room temperature strain rates may exhibit substantial temperature increases.