Viscosity and Surface Tension Measurements in Microgravity

The viscosity and surface tension of liquid metals can be measured by observing the oscillations of a levitated drop. The frequency is related to the surface tension, while the viscosity determines the damping of the oscillations. If no external forces are present, as in microgravity, these relations are particularly simple and precise. During the recent Spacelab mission MSL-1, such experiments have been performed on Co–Pd and Pd–Cu–Si using the electromagnetic levitation facility TEMPUS. It was possible to obtain data over a wide temperature range, including the undercooled regime. While the temperature dependence of the surface tension remains linear over the complete range, the temperature dependence of the viscosity is much more pronounced and is discussed in terms of different models.