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Experiments for electromagnetic levitation in microgravityContainerless processing is a promising research tool for investigating the properties of undercooled melts and their solidification. For conducting samples RF-electromagnetic levitation offers the possibility to obtain large undercoolings by avoiding heterogeneous nucleation at container walls. On earth, however, strong magnetic fields are needed to compensate the gravitational force which imposes a lower limit on the available temperatures and on the accessible undercooling range. Under microgravity conditions the magnetic positioning fields can be minimized and hence, undercooling becomes feasible under ultra-high vacuum conditions and lower temperatures become accessible. In contrast to other undercooling and solidification techniques, electromagnetic levitation allows for diagnostic measurements during the early steps of nucleation and phase selection. Experiments cover a wide field of research topics: nucleation, directional solidification at high velocities, generation of metastable phases, evolution of microstructures, properties of undercooled liquids. Examples from these classes including experiments selected for the IML-2 mission are discussed with emphasis on technical requirements. An overview is given on the German TEMPUS (electromagnetic levitation facility) program.
Document ID
19910012035
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Willnecker, R. (Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt Cologne, Germany)
Egry, I. (Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt Cologne, Germany)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: JPL, Proceedings of the First Workshop on Containerless Experimentation in Microgravity
Subject Category
Materials Processing
Accession Number
91N21348
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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