Measurement of Surface Tension of Solid Cu by Improved Multiphase Equilibrium

The surface tension of solid Cu was measured with the multiphase equilibrium (MPE) method in a Pb-Cu system at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C. A special focus was on the measurement of angles involved in MPE. First, the effect of reading error in each angle measurement on the final result of surface tension of solid was simulated. It was found that the two groove measurements under atmosphere conditions are the primary sources of error in the surface tension of solid in the present system. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was applied to these angle measurements as a new method with high accuracy. The obtained surface-tension values of solid Cu in the present work were 1587, 1610, and 1521 mN/m at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C, respectively, representing reasonable temperature dependence.