To measure total hemispherical emissivities εTH(T) of metals at low temperatures, a new transient calorimetric technique is developed to improve its accuracy. The accuracy of this technique mainly depends upon heat loss Qt through a thermocouple (TC) which suspends a specimen and measures its temperature. To reduce Qt, an Iron. Constantan TC with diameter of about 20μm is used, and the temperature profile of TC is controlled by a guard heater attached to the other sides of TC. εTH(T) of aluminum specimens which shaped wire (99.9994% purity) and plate (99.988%) are measured in the temperature range from 125 to 350K. The specimens are mechanically polished. The roughness of the plate surface is measured. Qt, evaluated by a combined radiation and conduction heat transfer analysis, is less than 1% of the total power loss of the specimen. εTH(T) for wire and annealed plate are in good agreement with each other, and close to the values extrapolated from the date obtained above room temperature. An increase in εTH(T) of the plate without annealing may be due to the Beilby/damaged surfaces formed by mechanical polishing.
