The thermal conductivity of molten silicon was measured by a hot-disk method in
short-duration microgravity environments. The hot-disk sensor was made of
molybdenum foil cut in a conducting pattern and covered with an aluminum nitride
plate. Aluminum nitride has good resistivity against corrosion from silicon melt and
the molybdenum foil was protected from the molten silicon. The thermal conductivity
of molten silicon measured on the ground was estimated to be
45.6 W·m-1·K-1 at the melting point
(1687 K). The thermal conductivity of molten silicon measured in microgravity was
about 5% lower than that measured on the ground.
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