Transport Property Measurement of Liquid Metals and Alloys Using Electromagnetic and Electrostatic Levitation

Containerless measurements of the thermophysical properties density, viscosity, and self-diffusion by electromagnetic- (EML) and electrostatic levitation (ESL) are compared. The development history of the two techniques is briefly traced. The levitation principles and the measurement techniques for the properties considered are discussed. In the case of the density, data measured by both techniques are available for a liquid NiTi alloy. The results agree within a systematic error of +/- 1 %. The data measured in EML exhibit a significant larger scatter. Viscosity data cannot be measured in ground-based electromagnetic levitation, so the comparison is carried out for a NiB alloy investigated in ESL and a classical viscometer. Good agreement was found as well. No significant difference is observed in self-diffusion data of various systems between different levitation techniques.