Abstract
The surface tension of liquid iron, iron-carbon, iron-silicon and iron-carbon-silicon alloys was measured by sessile drop method. The surface tension and the density of pure liquid iron at 1550°C were 1735dyne/cm and 7.05g/cm3, respectively. The surface tension of iron-carbon alloy's decreased linearly with tem temperature and the carbon content, and the temperature coefficient decreased with increase of carbon content. The surface tension and the density of iron-silicon alloys decreased with increase of silicon content, but abnormal phenomena were found at 50 at % Si, that is, the temperature coefficients of surface tension and density were positive. The surface tension of iron containing carbon reached a maximum value when some amounts of silicon was added, although individual addition of carbon or silicon decreased the surface tansion of iron.
