Re: What if you were designing Huygens II

From: Andrew Nowicki (andrew_at_nospam.com)
Date: 01/23/05 

To: sci-space-tech@moderators.isc.org
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 22:23:44 +0100

Mike Miller wrote:
 
> So balloons cannot be made of plastics that
> remain ductile at low temperatures?

Teflon can be used at cryogenic temperatures, but
it is not strong enough. Perhaps Teflon reinforced
with carbon fibers would work, but the carbon
fibers are brittle.

Nylon would probably be more practicable because
it is stronger than Teflon and it is not brittle
at cryogenic temperatures. Nylon film made by
KNF Corporation has tensile strength of 21 MPa
(3000 psi).

DuPont Teijin Teonex Q72 film (polyethylene naphthalate)
is one order of magnitude stronger, but it works only
at room temperature.

Do you know any plastic that works at cryogenic
temperatures and is as strong as the Teonex?