This paper reports on the cryogenic fatigue life of Al 2024 / Stycast 2850 FT composite sandwiches loaded under cyclic strain, as well as on the strength of their constituent materials at 77 K. These Fibre Metal Laminate (FML) specimen serve as a model for an alternative class of
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This paper reports on the cryogenic fatigue life of Al 2024 / Stycast 2850 FT composite sandwiches loaded under cyclic strain, as well as on the strength of their constituent materials at 77 K. These Fibre Metal Laminate (FML) specimen serve as a model for an alternative class of cryogenic structural materials that might be used e.g. in downstream LNG applications. FMLs, such as the GLARE ™, are already used in the aeronautic industry, where they provide better damage tolerance, corrosion resistance and lower specific weight. Their cryogenic performance, however, is yet to be understood. Preliminary results show that the metal/filled- epoxy combination presented here withstands repeated cool-down to 77 K. Moreover, its cryogenic fatigue life is at least 20 times longer than at room temperature. These observations are consistent with the measured stress-strain behaviour of the metal and the epoxy, as well as with the shear strength of the bond between them. The Youngs modulus, yield strength and tensile strength of the Stycast 2850 FT roughly double when cooled down to 77 K. In addition to this, the bond strength with the GLARE-type coated Al increases significantly. These preliminary experiments indicate that cryogenic FML are technically feasible.@en