SPECIFIC-HEAT MEASUREMENTS BY NONCONTACT CALORIMETRY

The specific heat and the related thermodynamic functions of highly un dercooled liquids are essential in analyzing the nucleation kinetics d uring crystallization and glass formation from the liquid or solid sta te. However, for metals and alloys the measured data are very scarce a nd in general limited to low-melting-point systems. For alloys which e xhibit higher melting points, such data generally do not exist. Thus, in order to measure specific heat of metals and alloys at elevated tem peratures a new modulation method is being developed. The basic princi ple for this measurement and preliminary data on solid samples are dis cussed.