R. A. Rhodes, Cryogenic Institute of New England, Inc., Worcester, MA

Summary: The process of treating materials – primarily metals – by an extended time and temperature soak profile has been practiced to varying degrees of success over the past twenty years. Its purported benefits have been embraced and promoted by some, and dismissed by others. While technical data and analysis has been generated by a variety of independent sources, it can generally be characterized most distinctly for its incompleteness. Simply put, there is not enough available published research to validate all of the claims of cryogenic treatment proponents, nor of its detractors. So what is the status of the industry, and by extension, the technology, today? Quantifying the size of the industry and better understanding the applications that have formed the basis of its commercial viability are important yardsticks to be used in assessing the status of both the technology and the industry. This perspective, coupled with a survey of the published technical papers currently known, provides the basis for an objective assessment of the industry’s outlook and its potential. By reviewing the body of known scientific studies currently available, together with a comprehensive understanding of the applications that form the basis of the industry’s current commercial success, we are able to draw conclusions about the current status of the technology and where it is headed. In addition, the critical gaps in scientific data that are identified form the basis for determining the technology’s most critical areas of future scientific inquiry. Through this type of analysis, we can establish a benchmark for the current status of the technology, together with a roadmap of potential applications that may yet to prove to be its most rewarding area of exploration.