The 'Superpowers' of Liquid Nitrogen: From Rapid Freezing to the Cutting Edge of Technology

Liquid nitrogen, being nitrogen in its liquid state, serves as an exceptionally potent cooling medium due to its extremely low boiling point of -196°C. In everyday life, liquid nitrogen is most commonly associated with molecular gastronomy, such as instantly freezing ingredients into a wispy, smoke-like state. This technique leverages its exceptional heat-absorbing evaporation capacity to rapidly traverse the food's 'ice crystal formation zone', producing finer ice crystals that better preserve the texture and original flavour of the ingredients.
Within industrial sectors, liquid nitrogen finds even broader applications. Within the food industry, it facilitates rapid freezing of seafood and meat products, alongside cold chain transportation, maximising freshness retention. In mechanical manufacturing, liquid nitrogen's extreme cold enables "cryogenic treatment" of metal components, refining their internal microstructure to enhance hardness, wear resistance, and dimensional stability, thereby extending the service life of tools and moulds. Furthermore, the inert environment created by liquid nitrogen is employed for safeguarding flammable and explosive materials.
At the forefront of science and technology, liquid nitrogen proves indispensable. It serves as a cold source for cryogenic pumps to achieve high-vacuum environments; in biomedicine, it facilitates cryopreservation of cells, tissues, and vaccines; within superconductivity research, it functions as a common and relatively economical coolant for high-temperature superconducting materials. Indeed, from dining tables to workshops, and from laboratories to hospitals, this 'cold' resource is quietly advancing technological progress and enhancing quality of life in its own distinctive manner.