Thermophysical properties of undercooled liquid Co-Mo alloys

Using electromagnetic levitation in combination with the oscillating drop technique and drop calorimeter method, the surface tensions and specific heats of undercooled liquid Co-10 wt% Mo, Co-26.3 wt% Mo, and Co-37.6wt% Mo alloys were measured. The containerless state during levitation produces substantial undercoolings up to 223 K (0.13T_L), 213 K (0.13T_L) and 110 K (0.07T_L) respectively for these three alloys. In their respective undercooling ranges, the surface tensions were determined to be 1895 - 0.31(T - 1744), 1932 - 0.33(T - 1682), and 1989 - 0.34(T - 1607) mNm ^-1. According to the Butler equation, the surface tensions of these three Co-Mo alloys were also calculated, and the results agree well with the experimental data. The specific heats of these three alloys are determined to be 41.85, 43.75 and 44.92 J mol^-1 K^-1. Based on the determined surface tensions and specific heats, the changes in thermodynamics functions such as enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy are predicted. Furthermore, the crystal nucleation, dendrite growth and Marangoni convection of undercooled Co-Mo alloys are investigated in the light of these measured thermophysical properties.