The austenitic stainless steel tubes remain tough and ductile to very low temperatures. Metals such as iron and constructional steel undergo a marked decrease in ductility at lower temperature.
Common Cryogenic Temperatures:
| Environment | Degrees C | Degrees F |
| Boiling Helium | - 268.6 | - 454 |
| Boiling Hydrogen | - 252.5 | - 418 |
| Freezing Nitrogen | - 209.9 | - 346 |
| Boiling Nitrogen | - 195.8 | - 319 |
| Boiling Methane | - 164.0 | - 265 |
| Solid Carbon Dioxide | - 78.5 | - 108 |
| Boiling Freon 12 | - 29.8 | - 22 |
| Water as ice | 0.0 | 32 |
Effect of Temperature on Modulus of Elasticity:
| Stainless Steel | Room Temp. Tensile - ksi | Degrees C | Degrees F |
| Room Temp. | At -196øC | ||
| 301 Stainless Steel | 106 | 25.4 x 10-6 | 28.6 x 10-6 |
| 302 Stainless Steel | 88 | 26.2 | 27.2 |
| 304 Stainless Steel | 87 | 24.4 | 26.2 |
| 347 Stainless Steel | 95 | 23.3 | 27.6 |
Mechanical Properties at Cryogenic Temperatures:
| Strength by Alloy Listed in ksi | ||||||||
| Material Grade | 301 | 302 | 304 | 304L | 310S | 316 | 321 | 347 |
| 0øC | ||||||||
| Yield | 42 | 42 | 38 | 28 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Tensile | 160 | 120 | 115 | 98 | 88 | 90 | 100 | 100 |
| Elong. | 60% | 50% | 60% | 58% | 50% | 68% | 58% | 60% |
| Charpy keyhole notch in ft. lb. | 39 | 34 | 37 | - | 38 | 35 | 32 | 29 |
| 301 | 302 | 304 | 304L | 3105 | 316 | 321 | 347 | |
| -40øC | ||||||||
| Yield | 44 | 43 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 45 | 45 | 45 |
| Tensile | 180 | 135 | 135 | 115 | 94 | 105 | 120 | 115 |
| Elong. | 40% | 58% | 55% | 55% | 70% | 67% | 55% | 58% |
| Charpy keyhole notch in ft. lb. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 301 | 302 | 304 | 304L | 3105 | 316 | 321 | 347 | |
| -78øC | ||||||||
| Yield | 50 | 58 | 45 | 35 | 48 | 57 | 50 | 50 |
| Tensile | 162 | 164 | 165 | 138 | 110 | 120 | 138 | 136 |
| Elong. | 52% | 52% | 48% | 50% | 78% | 65% | 53% | 52% |
| Charpy keyhole notch in ft. lb. | 21 | 27 | 26 | - | 30 | 26 | 25 | 23 |
| 301 | 302 | 304 | 304L | 3105 | 316 | 321 | 347 | |
| -168øC | ||||||||
| Yield | 62 | 62 | 55 | 40 | 62 | 73 | 58 | 50 |
| Tensile | 210 | 210 | 208 | 175 | 140 | 160 | 185 | 180 |
| Elong. | 44% | 43% | 42% | 44% | 90% | 61% | 47% | 45% |
| Charpy keyhole notch in ft. lb. | 5.5 | 9.5 | 21 | 16 | 24 | 19 | 22 | 19 |
| 301 | 302 | 304 | 304L | 3105 | 316 | 321 | 347 | |
| -196øC | ||||||||
| Yield | 55 | 62 | 57 | 45 | 75 | 80 | 60 | 52 |
| Tensile | 275 | 225 | 225 | 192 | 151 | 180 | 211 | 195 |
| Elong. | 30% | 40% | 38% | 42% | 93% | 19% | 22% | 19% |
| Charpy keyhole notch in ft. lb. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 301 | 302 | 304 | 304L | 3105 | 316 | 321 | 347 | |
| -253øC | ||||||||
| Yield | - | 62 | 69 | 50 | 96 | 93 | 68 | 65 |
| Tensile | - | 258 | 250 | 220 | 180 | 230 | 248 | 230 |
| Elong. | - | 38% | 27% | 41% | 71% | 55% | 34% | - |
| Charpy keyhole notch in ft. lb. | - | - | - | 19 | - | - | - | - |
