affects of (freeze drying) or just freezing

[damezbullion]

Iv been thinking, which would probably make you believe im in a lot of pain, but iv always watched ppl freeze dry foods like (heston the chef) and ppl freeze things in nitrogen and shatter them into pieces, looks cool and fun.

But my point is can we do the same with things like this with ceramics or flapacks?

my little understanding of freeze drying is that all moisture is taken from the food, making it so dry its able to be crushed to a powder, then i thought most fruit is made up of 70% water so take the water out then it would be easy to crush, and i doubt there is any water in ceramics making it a denser structure no matter how much you try do dry it out.
but what about nitrogen?, say i soaked 1lb of flat packs in nitrogen, wouldn't this ,make them a whole lot easier for crushing for ppl without the equipment.
theres a lot of factors to take in here as the advantage if incineration is it does what it says so material will be burnt away but we also use the incineration to (crack/break structure)of flatbacks, doesn't nitrogen also do this?
even if you were to soak material in water hoping it to absorb the smallest amount of water,add nitrogen as it freezes the water expands, and breaks structure?
im not really sure what im getting at but is there an advantage using a process like this?has it been done?

 

[srlaulis]

It would not be economically viable to use Nitrogen to freeze your stock...unless you get Nitrogen for free. Incineration is pretty much free.

 

[g_axelsson]

Putting chips into liquid nitrogen wouldn't do anything. You can cool computers with liquid nitrogen and run them faster... the only thing it would do to chips is to make them cold.

A word of advice around liquid nitrogen, don't drink it, you'll burp violently. Been there, done that. :mrgreen:

Göran

 

[damezbullion]

Putting chips into liquid nitrogen wouldn't do anything. You can cool computers with liquid nitrogen and run them faster... the only thing it would do to chips is to make them cold.

A word of advice around liquid nitrogen, don't drink it, you'll burp violently. Been there, done that. :mrgreen:

Göran

lol have you really drank nitrogen? you must be one of them cool lads

but thanks both for the reply

 

[g_axelsson]

Yes, I've done it. Just a drop that was running around in a glas of cola but it got inside my mouth and the gas pressure just pressed it down my stomach, then it came out again with a lot of mist.
I was doing a few physics tricks in front of an audience before holding a talk. The drinking of liquid nitrogen was not in the plan but was very appreciated. :mrgreen:

Göran

 

[MysticColby]

upon freezing, different materials exhibit different characteristics. as you mentioned, freezing some things makes them very brittle. however, other things makes them hard as stone (try dipping a banana into liquid nitrogen - you'll then be able to hammer a nail into a board with it). As for ceramics, freezing to liquid nitrogen temperature should have minimal noticeable affects.
I will, however, note a mythbusters episode:
***spoiler***
Myth: A padlock soaked in liquid nitrogen is easier to break than a padlock at room temperature.
confirmed
It took Tory four seconds using a hammer and crowbar to break a padlock at room temperature. After a second lock was sprayed with liquid nitrogen for five minutes, he was able to break it in one hit. The Build Team then tested a door locked with a deadbolt; Tory required over five minutes to smash it at room temperature, but less than two minutes after it had been frozen. Grant pointed out that the method would require so many people, and so much time and specialized equipment, that it would not be a practical or stealthy way of breaking into a building. Nevertheless, the team declared the myth confirmed.


Basically, you won't know until you try it however, the cost of liquid nitrogen and the technical difficulties will probably make this impractical.

 

[mls26cwru]

freezing a material would not necessarily make it easier to break... It may make it more brittle, but still might be hard to break... it would depend on the material. Incineration heats the ICs up enough to break the chemical bonds holding the ceramic together and thus altering its physical characteristics.