SHEAR-STRENGTH TESTING OF SOLID OXYGEN

Experiments have been performed to test the shear strength of solid ox ygen. Shear strength measurements were made in a cryostat by pulling a rod out of solidified liquid oxygen. The approximate shear strength o f solid oxygen was measured as a function of temperature, increasing f rom 0.31 MPa at 45 K, to 4.46 MPa at 18 K. Solid oxygen was found to u ndergo plastic deformation at high temperatures, becoming increasingly strong and brittle as its temperature was decreased. Data and simple experiments confirmed a similarity of engineering material properties between solid oxygen and room temperature plastics.