Contactless Density Measurement of Liquid Nd-Doped 50%CaO–50%Al2O3

The density of neodymium-doped calcium aluminate (<1 mol% Nd₂O₃·50% CaO·50% Al₂O₃) liquid was measured over a wide temperature range using an electrostatic levitation furnace. The density was obtained using an UV-based imaging technique that allowed excellent illumination throughout all phases of processing, including elevated temperatures. Over the 1560–2000 K temperature range, the density could be expressed as ρ( T ) = 2.83 × 10³– 0.21( T – T _m) (kg·m^?3) (±2%) with T _m= 1878 K, which yielded a volume coefficient of thermal expansion α( T ) = 7.5 × 10^?5 K^?1.