Some research activities on thermophysical properties in China

Various aspects of the importance of thermophysical property (TPP) studies to science and technology in China are discussed. Several stages of the development of experimental principles and equipment are described. Some examples of TPP applications in economic practice are presented. Theoretical and methodological studies in this field are summarized. The presentations are limited mostly to work on solids.Invited paper presented at the Ninth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 24–27, 1985, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Measurement of thermal properties of iron oxide pellets

The thermal properties of iron oxide pellets of different porosity and prepared by reduction at different rates were investigated in the range of room temperature to about 800°C. The thermal diffusivity a was measured by a laser flash method and the specific heat C _p was measured by adiabatic scanning calorimetry. The thermal conductivity was calculated from the relation =aC p, where is the density of the specimen.For nonreduced iron oxide pellets, the thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity decreased with increase in temperature and porosity. The specific heat increased with increasing temperature and there was a transformation point at which the specific heat reached a maximum. In prereduced iron oxide pellets, the thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity were very small compared with the nonreduced pellets and they gradually increased with increasing temperature. The specific heat had a minimum and a maximum at about 300 and 600°C, respectively, and the scale of these features became smaller with increase in the reduction rate.Paper presented at the Fourth Japan Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, October 20–22, 1983, Yokohama, Japan.     

The investigation of thermophysical properties of fluids by an alternating current hot-wire method

A method and an instrument for the measurement of a number of the thermophysical properties (thermal conductivity, thermal activity, volumetric specific heat, thermal diffusivity) are described. The results obtained for thermal conductivity and specific heat of toluene, over a temperature range 30–350°C and pressures of up to 30 MPa, are presented.     

Li2B4O7晶体的比热,导温和导热性能

用ＤＳＣ和激光热导人义分别测定了Ｌｉ２Ｂ４Ｏ７（ＬＢＯ）晶体３５０－９７０Ｋ范围内的比热和６３０－９７０Ｋ范围内不同主晶轴方向的导温系数，并由此了导热系数和声子平均自由程。     

Thermophysical properties of ice,snow, and sea ice

The paper reviews and discusses data and information on the thermophysical properties of ice, snow, and sea ice. These properties include thermal conductivity, specific heat, density, thermal diffusivity, latent heat of fusion, thermal expansion, and absorption coefficient. The available data are shown graphically for convenience in conjunction with the recommended correlation equations.Paper presented at the Second U.S.-Japan Joint Seminar on Thermophysical Properties, June 23, 1988, Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.A.     

Thermophysical Properties of Heterogeneous Structures Measured by Pulse Transient Method

This paper discusses differences in thermophysical parameters (thermal conductivity λ, thermal diffusivity a, and specific heat c) that can be found when experimental methods with different measuring regimes are used. Two classes of methods are compared, namely, classical methods using steady-state, equilibrium, and dynamic measuring regimes and transient methods. The data consistency formula λ = acρ gives a picture on data reliability when single-parameter methods are used. Results of analysis are verified on published, recommended, and measured data by transient methods considering homogenous materials (stainless steel A 310, BK 7, Perspex) and heterogeneous materials (composite C/C–SiC, aerated autoclaved concrete). Satisfactory agreement on data for the thermophysical parameters was found on homogenous materials only. Paper presented at the Fifteenth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 22–27, 2003, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Spin-Triplet Superconductivity in Sr2RuO4

We study the doping and temperature dependence of the order parameter for the triplet states of the layered perovskite material Sr₂RuO₄. The tight binding model that includes orthorhombic distortion and second nearest neighbor hopping, has been considered to study the doping and temperature dependence of the p- and f-wave states. We also calculate the temperature dependence of specific heat and thermal conductivity. We compare our results with the corresponding singlet -results of the cuprates. d _xy -wave has also been considered. The jump in the specific heat at T _c (critical temperature) and its temperature dependence agree well with the experiment.     

Thermal properties of high-temperature superconductors

The specific heat and thermal conductivity measurements of YBa₂Cu₃O_7– high-T _c superconductors were performed by an a.c. calorimetry method. Investigations of the specific heat of YBa₂Cu₃O_7– ceramics in magnetic fields show that an increase in the magnetic field reduces the jump in the specific heat, broadens the transition region, and shifts the transition temperature downward by about 0.5 K, Temperature dependence of the specific heat of a YBa₂Cu₃O_7– high-T _c superconducting ceramic reveals that fluctuation affect the specific heat near the superconducting transition, Critical exponents = = 0.5, the critical amplitudesC ⁺ =C ^– = 0.5 J · mol^–1 K^–1, the space dimensionalityd = 3, and the number of components in the order parametern = 3 is calculated, The specific heat and the along-c-axis thermal conductivity of YBa₂Cu,₃O_7– single crystal were simultaneously measured.Paper presented at the Twelfth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 19–24, 1994, Boulder. Colorado, U.S.A.     

The heat and moisture transport properties of wet porous media

Existing methods for determining heat and moisture transport properties in porous media are briefly reviewed, and their merits and deficiencies are discussed. Emphasis is placed on research in developing new transient methods undertaken in China during the recent years. An attempt has been made to relate the coefficients in the heat and mass transfer equations with inherent properties of the liquid and matrix and then to predict these coefficients based on limited measurements.Invited paper presented at the Tenth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 20–23, 988, Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.A.     

Nd3+:Gd3Ga5O12晶体的热物理性能研究

提拉法生长了Nd^3＋：Gd3Ga5O12（Nd：GGG）单晶，用差示扫描量热法（DSC）和激光脉冲法分别测量了Nd：GGG激光晶体的比热和热扩散系数，计算得到晶体的导热系数，与用PPMS测量得到的导热系数相吻合．实验结果表明：Nd：GGG激光晶体具有较大的比热和导热系数，具有良好的热物理性能；Nd：GGG晶体的热扩散系数和导热系数随着温度的升高而减小；计算得到晶体的德拜温度为711K．     

Simultaneous measurement of thermal diffusivity and specific heat at high temperatures by a single rectangular pulse heating method

A method for the simultaneous measurement of thermal diffusivity and specific heat by a single rectangular heating pulse on a finite cylindrical specimen is described. The method takes into account radiation losses from all the surfaces of the specimen. The theoretical principle of the technique was studied by solving the transient heat conduction equation for a finite disk heated on the front surface by a single rectangular radiant energy pulse. An apparatus was constructed to comply with the theoretical conditions and was connected to a personal computer. Thermal diffusivity and specific heat were determined from the data obtained on the temperature response of the back surface of the specimen and from the theoretical results. This method can be applied to materials having a wide range of thermal conductivity values and has a good accuracy at high temperatures. Examples of the measurements are presented.Invited paper presented at the Ninth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 24–27, 1985, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Measurement of transport properties of high-temperature fluids

High-temperature fluids often show interesting behavior and have important industrial applications, however, their thermophysical properties are extremely difficult to measure. Sometimes there are no measuring methods available, despite the fact that the great industrial demand for data on these property data at high temperatures is intense in recent years. In the present paper, five examples of approaches to measure transport properties of high temperature fluids are described. They include measurements of the viscosity of high-temperature melts by the oscillating-cup method, of the viscosity of vapors of H₂O and D₂O by the capillary method, of the thermal conductivity of molten salts by the transient hot-wire method, and of the thermal diffusivity by the optical method and of the thermal conductivity of high temperature gases by the shocktube method.     

Effect of Heat Treatment on Thermal Conductivity of U-Mo/Al Alloy Dispersion Fuel

The molybdenum content of fuel core whose matrix is aluminium 1060, was varied to be 7, 8, and 10 wt% and the volume fraction of U-Mo fuel powders was varied to be 10, 30, and 40 vol%. In this work, thermal conductivities were calculated from measured thermal diffusivities, specific heat capacities, and densities, which were determined using the laser flash, DSC, and Archimedes methods, respectively. The thermophysical properties were measured over a temperature range from room temperature to 500°C. The U-Mo alloy was annealed at between 525 and 550°C for 1 to 36 hours. At high temperature, the U-Mo particles were reacted with aluminium matrix as forming layers of (U-Mo)Al _x . These reaction layers have been affected adversely by the thermal conductivity of fuel core. The thermal conductivities of annealed samples appeared to decrease with increasing volume fraction of the reaction layers.     

Thermophysical Properties of U–Mo/Al Alloy Dispersion Fuel Meats

Uranium–molybdenum alloy dispersion fuel meats are being studied for utilization as a research reactor fuel. Thermophysical properties of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel, where U–Mo was dispersed in aluminum in research reactor fuel for the study, were determined by computing the thermal conductivity through measurements of the specific heat capacity and thermal diffusivity. Uranium molybdenum powder was first fabricated and utilized as U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel; the molybdenum-to-uranium ratios were 6, 8, and 10 mass% to produce the initial powder, which was then combined with aluminum (Al 1060). The volume fractions of U–Mo powder to aluminum were 10, 30, 40, and 50 vol.% to fabricate the dispersion fuel. The thermal diffusivity and specific heat capacity were measured by the laser-flash and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) methods, respectively. Although the thermal diffusivity showed a decreasing trend with the U–Mo volume fraction when the dispersion quantity was insignificant, the trend reversed with a higher dispersion level. The specific heat capacity increases monotonically with temperature; its value is larger for a smaller dispersion level. Additionally, the overall thermal conductivity increases with temperature. Finally, the thermal conductivity decreases with an increase in the amount of U–Mo powder in the dispersion fuel. Paper presented at the Seventeenth European Conference on Thermophysical Properties, September 5–8, 2005, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.     

55CrMo钢热物性参数的测定

分别采用排水法、闪光法和比较法测定了55CrMo钢的室温密度、热扩散率和比热容,并计算得出了该钢的导热系数。结果表明：随着温度的升高,55CrMo钢的比热容总体上呈上升趋势,而热扩散率和导热系数则以相反趋势变化,且该三个热物性参数均在相变区内有所波动;测定结果为开展55CrMo钢感应加热淬火过程的有限元模拟提供了重要的试验数据。     

Simultaneous measurements of thermal conductivity and diffusivity of Se80Te20-xInx (x = 2, 4, 6 and 10) chalcogenide glasses at room temperature

Measurements of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of twin pellets of Se₈₀Te_20-xIn_x (x = 2, 4, 6 and 10) glasses, prepared under a load of 5 tons were carried out at room temperature using transient plane source (TPS) technique. The measured values of both thermal conductivity and diffusivity were used to determine the specific heat per unit volume of the said materials in the composition range of investigation. Results indicated that both the values of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity increased with the addition of indium at the cost of tellurium whereas the specific heat remained almost constant. This compositional dependence behaviour of the thermal conductivity and diffusivity has been explained in terms of the iono-covalent type of bond which In makes with Se as it is incorporated in the Se-Te glass.     

Thermal conductivity of Inconel 718 and 304 stainless steel

The results of thermal conductivity measurements on Inconel 718 and 304 stainless steel by the comparative and flash diffusivity techniques are reported for the temperature range 0–700°C. For 304 stainless steel, excellent agreement with published data is found for the specific heat, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity. In the case of Inconel 718, the measurements show that the conductivity depends critically on the sample thermal history and the metallurgical condition of the alloy. Measurements on a solution-treated sample indicated a conductivity function close to that reported previously, while precipitated samples showed a higher conductivity, similar to the conductivityvs-temperature function used for reduction of comparative thermal conductivity data with Inconel 718 references. These results indicate that Inconel 718 is not a suitable reference for high-accuracy comparative thermal conductivity measurements unless its thermal history and associated conductivity function are known.     

Zn、Pr共掺In2O3陶瓷材料的高温热电传输性能

利用放电等离子SPS烧结工艺制备得到Zn、Pr共掺的In2O3多晶陶瓷材料。通过研究材料的热电传输性能和微观结构,发现共掺工艺对SPS烧结的In2O3陶瓷材料的传输性能有着显著的影响,其结构为多孔结构。低浓度共掺的样品在测试温度范围内能够得到较高的电导率(约100S/m)和热电势(约200μV/K)。其中试样In1.92(Pr,Zn)0.08O3的热导率973K最低为2.5W/(m.K),该样品可获得最高的热电功率因子3.5×10-4 W/(m.K2),对应其热电优值0.10。其性能表明利用放电等离子SPS烧结工艺制备的In2O3基陶瓷作为n型高温热电材料具有很好的潜力。     

Thermal diffusivity and conductivity in low-conducting materials: A new technique

A comparative method is presented, suitable to measure both thermal diffusivity and conductivity of low-conducting solids. The repeatibility of the measurements of thermal conductivity is 3%, whereas for diffusivity is 6%. Data for some low-conducting materials are given, consistent with those reported in the literature.     

Measurement of thermophysical properties of metals and ceramics by the laser-flash method

Several recent advances made in the author's laboratory in the experimental apparatus and measuring procedures for precise measurements of thermophysical properties by the laser-flash method are reviewed. Heat-capacity measurement has been done on metals and ceramics within an accuracy of ±0.5% in the range from 80 to 800 K, and within ±2% from 800 to 1100 K. Thermal diffusivity has been also measured from 80 to 1300 K with reasonable corrections for heat leak and finite pulse width. As an example of the experimental results by the method, the data of heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity of vanadium-oxygen alloys containing 1.07 and 3.46 at.% of oxygen from 80 to 800 K are presented and compared with those of pure vanadium metal.Presented at the Japan-United States Joint Seminar on Thermophysical Properties, October 24–26, 1983, Tokyo, Japan.