High-Temperature Levitated Materials

"One of the major experimental difficulties in studying materials at extreme temperatures is unwanted contamination of the sample through contact with the container. This can be avoided by suspending the sample through levitation. This technique also makes metastable states of matter accessible, opening up new avenues of scientific enquiry, as well as possible new materials for technological applications. This book describes several methods of levitation, the most important being aerodynamic, electromagnetic and electrostatic. It summarizes the state-of-the-art of the measurement of structural, dynamic and physical properties with levitation techniques, the considerable progress made in this field in the past two decades, and prospects for the future. It also explores the concepts behind the experiments and associated theoretical ideas. Aimed at researchers in physics, physical chemistry and materials science, the book is also of interest to professionals working in high-temperature materials processing and the aerospace industry"--Provided by publisher. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 High-temperature levitated materials......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Preface......Page 11 1 Scientific and technological context......Page 13 2 Levitation methods......Page 15 2.1 Aerodynamic levitation......Page 16 2.2 Electromagnetic levitation......Page 19 2.3 Magnetic levitation......Page 23 2.4 Superconducting levitation......Page 25 2.5 Electrostatic levitation......Page 28 2.6 Acoustic levitation......Page 30 2.8 Gas-film levitation......Page 31 2.9 Free-fall experiments......Page 32 2.10 Quantum levitation......Page 33 3.2 Electromagnetic heating......Page 35 3.3 Resistive pulse heating......Page 36 3.4 Temperature measurement......Page 37 4.1 Electromagnetic and optical properties......Page 40 4.2 Thermophysical properties......Page 49 4.3 Diffraction......Page 54 4.4 Small-angle scattering......Page 60 4.5 X-ray absorption spectroscopy......Page 63 4.6 Inelastic scattering......Page 65 4.7 Nuclear magnetic resonance......Page 71 4.8 Numerical simulation......Page 75 5.1 Advantages of levitation methods......Page 78 5.2 Cooling and metastable states......Page 79 6.1 Early transition metals......Page 83 6.2 Late transition metals......Page 98 6.3 Zirconium–nickel and Ti–Zr–Ni alloys......Page 105 6.4 Aluminium–transition metal alloys......Page 117 6.5 Cobalt–palladium alloys......Page 132 7.1 Silicon......Page 143 7.2 Germanium and Ge–Si alloys......Page 164 7.3 Boron and boron compounds......Page 167 8.1 Pure trivalent oxides......Page 174 8.2 Silica......Page 191 8.3 Mixed trivalent oxides......Page 193 8.4 Divalent–trivalent oxide mixtures......Page 205 8.5 Silicates......Page 213 9 Conclusions and prospects......Page 216 References......Page 218 Index......Page 236 Describing several methods of levitation, this book summarizes the state-of-the-art of levitation techniques, and explores the concepts behind the experiments and associated theoretical ideas. Aimed at researchers in physics, physical chemistry and materials science, the book will also interest professionals working in high-temperature materials processing and the aerospace industry. Machine generated contents note: 1. Scientific and technological context; 2. Levitation methods; 3. Heating methods; 4. Experimental techniques; 5. Levitation in materials research; 6. Liquid metals and alloys; 7. Molten semiconductors; 8. Molten oxides; 9. Conclusions and prospects; References; Index. Summarizes levitation techniques for researchers in physics, physical chemistry and materials science, and professionals in aerospace and high-temperature materials processing