A method for detecting tiny cracks that occur in metal such as pipes and railway rails is being investigated at Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory, using a technique known as Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) to investigate cracking at the atomic level. Vlad Stolojan hopes to learn how to control the process. Metal can begin to crack when subjected to stress. Under certain conditions, such as added pressure or a corrosive environment, the tiny cracks can grow much larger and eventually the metal breaks. This can have serious consequences in nuclear reactor pipes, metal used for bridges and building and rail track.
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