Thermophysical Properties of Space Alloy Melts and Study on Formation of Amorphous Materials

The exact knowledge of the thermophysical properties of metallic melts in the stable and undercooled state is crucial in optimising casting and solidification processes for engineering components fabricated on Earth. While the ground-based containerless levitation techniques (ESL, EML (Electromagnetic Levitator)) in general have serious limitations for precise thermophysical property measurements, the joint research project between ESA and the Chinese Space Agency will expand such measurements further to Low Earth Orbit and make high-precision measurements feasible for a new class of materials, namely bulk metallic glasses and its composites which exhibit exceptionally low evaporation rates in their liquid state. This Topical Team is established to support the European scientists involved in this collaborative effort.