Niobium-titanium alloys stay tough at -253°C, study finds

Researchers from UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Oxford found that two experimental niobium-titanium alloys resist cracking at 20 kelvin, or -253°C, where similar body-centred cubic metals usually turn brittle. Instead of fracturing, the alloys reorganise their internal structure to absorb stress. The Nature study could help engineers build tougher materials for extreme environments.