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Title: Thermophysical property measurement at high temperatures by laser-produced plasmas

Journal Article · · International Journal of Thermophysics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00566039· OSTI ID:103019
 [1]
  1. Lehigh Univ., Bethehem, PA (United States)

Excitation by a high-power laser pulse of a material surface generates a sequence of plasma, fluid flow, and acoustic events. These are well separated in time, and their detection and analysis can lead to determination of material properties of the condensed phase target. We have developed a new methodology for real-time determination of molten metal composition by time-resolved spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas (LPP). If the laser pulse is shaped in such a way that the movement of the bulk surface due to evaporation is kept in pace with the thermal diffusion front advancing into the interior of the target, the LPP plume becomes representative of the bulk in elemental composition. In addition, the mass loss due to LPP ablation is very well correlated with the thermal diffusivity of the target matter. For several elemental solid specimens, we show that the product of the ablation thickness and heat of formation is proportional to the thermal diffusivity per unit molecular weight. Such measurements can be extended to molten metal specimens if the mass loss by ablation, density, heat of formation, and molecular weight can be determined simultaneously. The results from the solid specimen and the progress with a levitation-assisted molten metal experiment are presented.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
103019
Report Number(s):
CONF-920924-; ISSN 0195-928X; TRN: 95:019835
Journal Information:
International Journal of Thermophysics, Vol. 14, Issue 3; Conference: 3. workshop on subsecond thermophysics, Graz (Austria), 17-18 Sep 1992; Other Information: PBD: May 1993
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English