Experimental determination of thermal conductivity of solid and liquid phases in Bi-Sn and Zn-Mg binary eutectic alloys

The thermal conductivities of solid phases, K-s, for Bi-43 wt.%Sn and Zn-0.15 wt.%Mg binary alloys at their eutectic temperature are found to be 28.0 +/- 1.4 and 137.4 +/- 6.9 W/Km, respectively, with a radial heat flow apparatus. The thermal conductivity ratios, R, of liquid phase to solid phase for the same alloys at their eutectic temperature are found to be 0.93 and 0.78, respectively, with a Bridgman type directional solidification apparatus. Thus, the thermal conductivities of the liquid phases, K-L, for Bi-43 wt.%Sn and Zn-0.15 wt.%Mg binary alloys at their eutectic temperature are evaluated to be 26.0 +/- 1.3 and 107.2 +/- 5.4 W/Km, respectively, from the measured values of K-s and R.