Surface tension induced convection in encapsulated liquid metals in a microgravity environment. Experiment MA-041

The experiment was designed to detect possible convection caused by a steplike compositional variation in a liquid metal in a microgravity environment. Wetting and nonwetting ampoules were used to try to determine the extent of the stirring effects if they were present. Since stirring effects can be caused by temperature gradients, the temperature gradients were minimized. Steplike compositional variation was created by pressure bonding a lead-0.05 atom percent gold alloy to pure lead. Two diffusion temperatures (923 K and 723 K) were used; if no stirring effects were present, it was hoped that the liquid diffusion parameters for gold in lead could be obtained. Two identifical experimental arrangements were used to compare the transport mechanisms of gold in liquid lead in unit gravity and microgravity environments.