Construction
The two time capsules are bullet-shaped, measure 90 inches (2.29 m) in length, and have an exterior casing of about eight and three-eighths inches (21.1 cm) in diameter. Time Capsule I weighs about 800 pounds (363 kg), while Time Capsule II weighs about half that.
Time Capsule I was made of a non-ferrous alloy called Cupaloy, created especially for this project. Designed to resist corrosion for 5,000 years, the alloy was made of 99.4% copper, 0.5% chromium, and 0.1% silver. Westinghouse claims it has the same strength as steel, yet will resist most corrosion over thousands of years like copper, because it becomes an anode in electrolytic reactions, receiving deposits instead of wasting away like most iron-bearing metals. Time Capsule II was made of a stainless steel metal called "Kromarc", supplied by U.S. Steel. Westinghouse Research Laboratories determined with extensive chemical testing that this new super stainless steel alloy would resist corrosion much like the alloy that was used for Time Capsule I. Invented by Frederick Charles Hull, Kromarc 55 Stainless Steel is composed of 52.60% iron, 21.24% nickel, 15.43% chromium, 8.20% manganese, 2.15% molybdenum, 0.22% silicon, 0.05% carbon, 0.013% phosphorus, and 0.012% sulfur.
The contents for the time capsules were sealed inside an insulated airtight glass envelope with an interior diameter of six and a half inches (16.5 cm) and a length of about 81 inches (2 m). The interior of the glass envelope of Capsule I was filled with the inert gas nitrogen. The interior of the glass envelope of Capsule II was filled with the inert gas argon. The term "time capsule" was coined by George Edward Pendray for the New York 1939 World's Fair Westinghouse exhibit.
Read more about this topic: Westinghouse Time Capsules
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