Successful melting and density measurements of Cu and Ag single crystals with an electrostatic levitation (ESL) system

Abstract

We report the successful melting and high-temperature liquid density measurements of grain-free single copper and silver crystals, using electrostatic levitation (ESL), for the first time. The melting of Cu and Ag using ESL has not been reported to date due to the unusual charge instability of these samples at high temperatures. We report here an improved levitation stability during heating when using single-crystal specimens. These results will aid the development and further study of industrially important Cu- and Ag-based materials, by indicating the key physical properties of their liquid phases.