| Title | Improved initiation technique for the metal fixed points |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2011 |
| Authors | White, D.R., and Mason R.S. |
| Journal | International Journal of Thermophysics |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 1-2 |
| Pagination | 348 - 359 |
| Date Published | 2011 |
| ISSN | 0195928X (ISSN) |
| Keywords | Dendrite growth, Dendrites, Dendrites (metallography), Fixed points, Gibbs-Thomson, Inner surfaces, Liquids, Neurons, Nucleation, Nucleation sites, Phase interfaces, Solid-liquid interfaces, Surface curvatures, Thermal coupling, Thermoelectricity, Thermometers, Tin |
| Abstract | Conventionally, the metal fixed points of indium, tin, zinc, aluminum, and silver are realized with two solid-liquid interfaces: one on the inner surface of the outside wall of the crucible and one around the thermometer well. Investigations into the practicality of inducing a single interface around the thermometer well suggest that the Gibbs-Thomson effect, due to the interface-surface curvature associated with multiple small nucleation sites on the thermometer well, is an influence effect capable of causing variations of several hundred microkelvins. Fixed-point initiation methods must therefore ensure that a complete solid-liquid interface is formed around the thermometer well. The experiments show that a single interface is satisfactory, and that there is no evidence for dendrite growth causing thermal coupling between the furnace and the thermometer. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. |
| URL | http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-79953193378&partnerID=40&md5=0fcfc9c52f90b6b5e1cd541a38990669 |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10765-010-0851-4 |
