Thermal conductivities of hypoeutectic Al-Cu alloys during solidification and cooling

Abstract

The thermal conductivity of hypoeutectic Al-Cu alloys during solidification and cooling was estimated by combining available data on electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity. To estimate the thermal conductivity of the solid alloys, the Smith-Palmer equation was used. This equation enables one to closely estimate the thermal conductivities from known data on electrical conductivities. The electrical resistivities of Al-Cu melts were also gathered. The Smith-Palmer equation was tested successfully for pure Al-melt and assumed to apply to Al-Cu melts, so that their thermal conductivities could be estimated. Finally simple-mixture models were applied to estimate the electrical resistivities and thermal conductivities of the alloys during solidification.