Electric conductivity measurement of oxides melts

I. Poznyak - A. Pechenkov - A. Shatunov

Department of Electrotechnology, Electrotechnical University 5 Prof. Popov Street, St.-Petersburg, 197376, Russia

Abstract
In spite of the variety of existing processes of the oxide induction skull melting, electric and thermal properties of oxides melts are practically unknown. On the other hand, liquid-phase synthesis of Hi-Tech oxide materials such as new ceramics, single crystals and glasses requires the knowledge of melt properties up to 3700 K. Since the electric conductivity is a main physical property, which influences the melt power consumption at induction heating, the study of the electric conductivity temperature dependence is necessary. The principle and the technical realization of electric conductivity measurements in melts are presented. The approach is based on the induction melting by the cold crucible technology and on an inverse electromagnetic problem solution. Analysis of the method accuracy with reference to input data errors is presented. To enhance the Ill-posed problem, a set of equations is solved. The conductivity of aluminium oxide melts for temperatures up to 3223 K is also considered. Tables 2, Figs 6, Refs 17.