Thermophysical property measurements of high temperature melts: results from the development and utilization of space

Accurate and precise thermophysical properties are required for numerical modelling, so that improved high temperature processes can be developed such as crystal growth of semiconductor materials and casting of engines and turbine blades. The microgravity environment, one of the tools of materials sciences, offers marked advantages for the measurements; the major benefits are the absence of convection and the assurance of containerless processing. This paper reviews not only past microgravity experiments dealing with thermophysical property measurements but also the efforts to measure thermophysical properties on Earth using techniques developed originally for space experiments. Thermophysical property measurement is one of the new fields of materials sciences triggered by working in space. An outlook into the space station era is also given with special emphasis on opportunities and challenges.