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Title: Aerodynamic levitation, supercooled liquids and glass formation

Journal Article · · Advances in Physics: X
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]
  1. X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA
  2. X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA, Materials Development, Inc., Arlington Heights, IL, USA

Containerless processing or ‘levitation’ is a valuable tool for the synthesis and characterization of materials, particularly at extreme temperatures and under non-equilibrium conditions. The method enables formation of novel glasses, amorphous phases, and metastable crystalline forms that are not easily accessed when nucleation and growth can readily occur at a container interface. Removing the container enables the use of a wide variety of process atmospheres to modify a materials structure and properties. In the past decade levitation methods, including acoustic, aerodynamic, electromagnetic, and electrostatic, have become well established sample environments at X-ray synchrotron and neutron sources. This article briefly reviews the methods and then focuses on the application of aerodynamic levitation to synthesize and study new materials. This is presented in conjunction with non-contact probes used to investigate the atomic structure and to measure the properties of materials at extreme temperatures. The use of aerodynamic levitation in research using small and wide-angle X-ray diffraction, XANES, and neutron scattering are discussed in the context of technique development. The use of the containerless methods to investigate thermophysical properties is also considered. We argue that structural motifs and in the liquid state can potentially lead to the fabrication of materials, whose properties would differ substantially from their well known crystalline forms.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0015241; SC0007564; AC02-06CH11357; SC0004604
OSTI ID:
1510124
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1393454
Journal Information:
Advances in Physics: X, Journal Name: Advances in Physics: X Vol. 2 Journal Issue: 3; ISSN 2374-6149
Publisher:
Informa UK LimitedCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 47 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (2)

Temperature gradients for thermophysical and thermochemical property measurements to 3000 °C for an aerodynamically levitated spheroid journal January 2019
Phase transformations in oxides above 2000°C: experimental technique development journal October 2018

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