Precise density measurements of refractory metals over 3000 K: Revisiting UV imaging technique at ultrahigh temperatures

Precise density and thermal expansion measurements of refractory materials are extremely challenging due to the chemical reactions and thermal gradients at ultrahigh temperatures. The UV image technique has been successfully applied to the density measurements at high temperatures above 3000 K. However, intense radiation from the sample can blur the edge of the sample image, leading to uncertain measurements. In this study, we investigate the influence of the contrast between the UV background light and sample radiation (B–S) on density measurements. We find that lower B–S contrast can significantly affect the calibration factor that converts image pixels to real size, resulting in underestimated density with scattering and overestimated thermal expansion coefficients at ultrahigh temperatures. This result underscores the necessity of adequate B–S contrast to ensure the precision of density measurements using UV imaging methods for refractory materials beyond 3000 K. By considering the critical minimum value of the B–S contrast, we successfully measure the densities and thermal expansion coefficients of four refractory metal liquids (tungsten, rhenium, osmium, and tantalum) with the improved UV technique, which are crucial for high-temperature industries. This work will be valuable for other imaging methods measuring the thermophysical properties at ultrahigh temperatures.