Thermophysical Properties of gamma -Titanium Aluminide: The European IMPRESS Project

In the framework of its 6th Framework Programme, the European Union funds the Integrated Project IMPRESS, related to industrial applications of Ti-Al and Ni-Al alloys.One central task of this project is the precise determination of the relevant thermophysical properties of selected alloys for both the solid and liquid phases. The properties to be measured include thermal data such as heat of fusion, specific heat,and thermal conductivity, as well as thermophysical and transport properties such as density, surface tension, and viscosity. In addition to conventional high-temperature equipment, containerless methods are used. This article introduces the IMPRESS project, and discusses the first results obtained to date.