Thermal properties of sesquioxide of samarium in the temperature range 300 to 1000 K

Abstract

Linear attenuation coefficient, density and thermal expansion of samarium sesquioxide (Sm2O3) as a function temperature has been studied by gamma ray attenuation technique in the temperature range 300–1000 K. The studies have been carried out using the gamma ray densitometer fitted with a programmable high temperature furnace. The mass attenuation coefficient of samarium sesquioxide has been determined using gamma beam of energy 0.662 MeV. The value of mass attenuation coefficient has been used to calculate the density (ρ), linear attenuation coefficient (µl) and thermal expansion (α). The results obtained in the present work for thermal expansion have been compared with results obtained from the other methods. The agreement between the present values and the values obtained from the X-ray method is good in the case of linear thermal expansion. The variation in linear attenuation coefficient (µl), density (ρ) and linear thermal expansion (α) with temperature for Sm2O3 have been represented by second degree polynomial equations.