Thermophysical Property Measurements of Refractory Oxide Melts With an Electrostatic Levitation Furnace in the International Space Station

Due to their high melting temperatures and the risk of contamination from crucibles, molten oxides which are above 2000 °C can hardly be processed using conventional methods. This explains that thermophysical properties very scarce. Containerless methods with gas flows have been developed several such as density, surface tension, viscosity reported. However, flow has detrimental side effects deformation sample induction internal in sample, affect accuracy measurements. The electrostatic levitation furnace onboard International Space Station (ISS-ELF), utilizes Coulomb force levitate melt samples microgravity, advantages for property measurements refractory oxide melts. Levitation without a coupled reduced gravity environment minimizes required (positioning) reduces well flow. report briefly introduces ISS-ELF facility measurement measured Al 2 O 3 then presented compared ones obtained by other Finally, data whose 2,400 summarized.