Melt Properties
The melting properties group deals with mass transport, relaxation phenomena and thermophysical properties of liquid metals and oxides. We measure properties such as density, viscosity, diffusion and atomic distribution. The aim is to identify and understand the fundamental physical mechanisms that determine these properties in the liquid state and, in a broader context, general characteristics in disordered systems. The research focuses on the relationships between structure and properties, the microscopic origins of fluid dynamics as well as the mixing rules in multicomponent mixtures and the relationships between different thermodynamic quantities. These results are important information for large-scale simulations in material design, e.g. for the prediction of casting processes, the formation of microstructures during solidification or the reaction behaviour between solid and liquid. The simulation of additive manufacturing also depends on knowledge of the melting properties. It is important to accurately measure these thermophysical and microscopic properties, even for chemically very reactive liquids at high temperatures, and to understand or circumvent the influence of buoyancy convection.
To achieve these goals, the group is developing various advanced techniques such as levitation, in-situ diagnostics on the ground and under microgravity conditions, neutron and synchrotron scattering or combinations thereof. In particular, this includes the use of various microgravity platforms, ranging from parabolic flights to sounding rockets and the international space station, which requires national and international co-operation.