The Sixth International Cryogenic Materials Conference (ICMC) was held on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge in col laboration with the Cryogenic Engineering Conference (CEC) on August 12-16, 1985. The complementary program and the interdependence of these two dis ciplines foster the conference. Its manifest purpose is sharing the latest advances in low temperature materials science and technology. Equally im portant, areas of needed research are identified, prioriti-es for new research are set, and an increased appreciation of interdisciplinary, interlaboratory, and international cooperation ensues. The success of the conference is the result of the. able leadership and hard work of many people: S. Foner of M.I.T. coordinated ICMC efforts as its Conference Chairman. A. I. Braginski of Westinghouse R&D Center planned the program with the assistance of Cochairmen E. N. C. Dalder of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, T. P. Orlando of M.I.T., D. O. Welch of Brookhaven National Laboratory, and numerous other committee members. A. M. Dawson of M.I.T., Chairman of Local Arrangements, and G. M. Fitzgerald, Chairman of Special Events, skillfully managed the joint conference. The contributions of the CEC Board, and particularly its conference chairman, J. L. Smith, Jr. of M.I.T., to the organization of the joint conference are also gratefully acknm.ledged.

The Fifth International Cryogenic Materials Conference (ICMC) was held in Colorado Springs, Colorado in collaboration with the Cryogenic Engineering Conference (CEC) on August 15-19, 1983. The growth and success of the joint conferences is a result of their complementary program and close cooperation. Materials remain a challenge in the application of cryogenic technology and sometimes, as in the case of superconductors, are the driving force for the technology. The association of materials and cryogenic engineers increases their awareness of recent research in their respective fi. elds and influences the course of future research and applications. Many contributed to the success of the 1983 conference: E. W. Collings of Battelle Memorial Institute was the ICMC Confer ence Chairman; M. Suenaga of Brookhaven National Laboratories, the ICMC Program Chairman; and L. L. Sparks of the National Bureau of Standards, the ICMC Local Arrangements Chairman. J. M. Wells and A. I. Braginski of Westinghouse R & D Center, G. Hartwig of the Nuclear Research Center of Karlsruhe, and K. T. Hartwig of the University of Wisconsin assisted the Program Chairman in metallic metals, superconducting materials, nonmetallic materials, and cryo physical properties, respectively. Excellent conference management was provided by Centennial Conferences. We especially thank M. Stieg, who coordinated the preparation of the papers for this volume. The CEC Board, especially their conference chairman, C. D. Henning of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, contributed very substan tially to conference planning and implementation.

Cryogenics is an emerging technology filled with promises. Many cryogenic systems demand the use of nonmetallics and composites for adequate or increased performance. Thermal and electrical insulations, potting for superconducting magnets' mechanical sta bility, and composite structures appear to be some of the most significant applications. Research on nonmetallics at cryogenic temperatures has not progressed to the degree of research on metals. Nor can room temperature research be extrapolated to low tempera tures; most polymers undergo a phase transformation to the glassy state below room temperature. Research by producers, for the most part, has not been prac tical, because, except for LNG applications, the market for large material sales is not imminent. There are, however, many government stimulated developmental programs. Research on nonmetallics thus is dictated by development project needs, which require studies orien ted toward prototype hardware and specific objectives. As a result, research continuity suffers. Under these conditions, periodic topical conferences on this subject are needed. Industry and uni versity studies must be encouraged. Designers and project research material specialists need to exchange experiences and data. Low temperature-oriented research groups, such as the National Bureau of Standards and the Institute for Technical Physics - Karlsruhe, must contribute by assisting with fundamentals, interpreting proj ect data, and contributing to project programs through their materials research."