Thermophysical Property Measurements of Oxide Melts at High Temperature by Electrostatic Levitation Furnace on the ISS

Abstract

The electrostatic levitation furnace (ELF) for the International Space Station (ISS) has been developed and sent to the ISS. The main target of the furnace are oxide samples, which are difficult to levitate in 1-G. Thermophysical properties such as density, surface tension, and viscosity of molten oxides at high temperature will be measured using microgravity condition in the ISS. In this paper, the ISS-ELF and the first ISS experiment (thermophysical property measurement of some oxide materials) are introduced.