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Zinc Nucleation and Growth in MicrogravityWe report our experiences with zinc nucleation in a microgravity environment aboard NASA's Reduced Gravity Research Facility. Zinc vapor is produced by a heater in a vacuum chamber containing argon gas. Nucleation is induced by cooling and its onset is easily detected visually by the appearance of a cloud of solid, at least partially crystalline zinc particles. Size distribution of these particles is monitored in situ by photon correlation spectroscopy. Samples of particles are also extracted for later analysis by SEM. The initially rapid increase in particle size is followed by a slower period of growth. We apply Scaled Nucleation Theory to our data and find that the derived critical temperature of zinc, the critical cluster size at nucleation, and the surface tension values are all in reasonably good agreement with their accepted literature values.
Document ID
20000053495
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Michael, B. Patrick (National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council Greenbelt, MD United States)
Nuth, J. A., III (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Lilleleht, L. U. (Virginia Univ. Charlottesville, VA United States)
Vondrak, Richard R.
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
March 20, 2000
Subject Category
Space Processing
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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