Device for in situ casting and tensile testing of materials freezing at cryogenic temperatures

Tensile testing of materials that freeze at subambient temperatures usually requires casting of the material in a mold, transferring the cast specimen into precooled test fixtures held in a moisture-free environment to avoid frosting, followed by performing the test at the desired cryogenic temperature. In this report we describe a device that allows the casting as well as testing to be completed in one assembly and cool-down cycle, eliminating the cumbersome intermediate steps.