Cryogenic vacuum tight adhesive

A synthetic adhesive for vacuum tight joints at cryogenic temperatures has been developed. It consists of three components, the main component being e poxy silicone organic resin. The joints made with the adhesive remain vacuu m tight at liquid helium temperature, including superfluid helium. It was f ound possible to connect different materials with the adhesive (copper and stainless steel with each other, aluminum, aluminum alloys, fiberglass, etc .). The joints withstood thermal shock tests of ten repeated sharps cooling to liquid nitrogen temperature and heating in hot water. Using the adhesiv e a lot of different vacuum tight low temperature joints have been made. Mo re than fifteen years of wide application of this adhesive in vacuum tight cryogenic joints proved its high reliability. Some designs of vacuum tight cryogenic joints are presented and the technique of their manufacturing is described. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.