Measurement of thermo-physical properties for solidification of aluminium alloys

Thermo-physical properties of solid and liquid phases are important components in the simulation of casting processes. Traditionally many of these properties are measured by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). In this paper, problems with the conventional DSC are discussed, and a single-pan scanning calorimeter which overcomes the problems in conventional DSC has been used to measure the thermo-physical properties for solidification of aluminium alloys. Enthalpy change, heat capacity, transition temperatures, and solid fraction change during solidification of Al-Fe alloys were determined from measurements using the single-pan calorimeter. Data with a high accuracy and a good reproducibility are reported. It is concluded that the single pan scanning calorimeter could be a useful tool for solidification modellers to obtain accurate materials thermo-physical properties.