Design of solid/liquid-liquid/solid trilayer systems for the measurement of diffusion coefficients in liquid metals

A new method for investigation of diffusion processes in liquid metals with solid/liquid-liquid/solid trilayer systems is described. The design of this kind of trilayers enables diffusion processes with no effects from gravity-induced convection and Maragoni-convection conditions. The Ta/Zn-Sn/Si trilayers were prepared and the interdiffusion of liquid zinc and tin at 500 degrees C was investigated. The interdiffusion coefficients range from 1.0 x 10(-4) to 2.8 x 10(-4) mm(2)/s, which are less than previous values measured by capillary reservoir technique under 1 g environment where various kinds of convection exist. It is the removing of disturbances of these kinds of convection that brings about the precise interdiffusion coefficients in liquid metals. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.