Materials Processing in Space: Theory, Experiments, and Technology

There has been considerable interest recently in microgravity physics and the effects of gravitation on crystal growth, alloy solidification, and other processes in space manufacturing. Regel' [1] has provided an extensive but not exhaustive bibliography on micro gravity physics and materials science in space, in which the major aspects are discussed along with the state of the art and future research prospects. The literature survey in [1] covered a period of about 10 years, including some publications appearing in 1983 that reflected not only theoretical and experi­ mental studies completed by 1983 but also a list of experiments to be carried out in the next few years. In particular, the closing part of the survey [1] enumerated ex­ periments planned under the Intercosmos program and by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the flight of Spacelab-l and D-l in 1985 and under the Eureka programs. Some of the space experiments planned in 1983 have now been com­ pleted, and the results have been published. It is therefore desirable to survey again research on materials science in space for the last few years and extend the literature survey begun in [1]. The literature listing on materials science in space begun in [1] is supplemented (there were 1061 citations in [1]) by recent publications (beginning with 1982).

Table of Contents:
1. Theory of Liquid Behavior and Crystal Growth under Reduced Gravity.- 1.1. Fluid Mechanics and Heat and Mass Transfer in Microgravity.- 1.2 Effects of Gravitational Convection on Crystal Growth in Microgravity.- 1.3. Thermocapillary and Capillary-Concentration Convection (Marangoni Convection).- 1.4. External-Force Control of Liquid-Surface Stability.- 1.5. Laboratory Simulation of Microgravity Processes.- 1.6. Theory of Impurity Distribution, Segregation, and Stratification.- 1.7. Nucleation Theory and Gas-Bubble Motion in Microgravity: Liquid Boiling.- 1.8. The Physics of Liquids, Liquid Bridges under Microgravity, Floating Zones in Zone Melting, and Liquid Free-Surface Shapes.- 1.9. Capillary Forces and Liquid Shaping in Microgravity, Including Contact Phenomena at Liquid-Tube Boundaries.- 1.10. Gravitational Conditions on Space Vehicles and the Destabilizing Effects of Residual Acceleration on Solidification and Thermal Oscillations.- 1.11. Conclusions.- 2. Semiconductor Growth from Melts and Vapors under Microgravity.- 2.1. Microgravity Growth of Ge and Si Crystals from Melts.- 2.2. Microgravity Growth of AIIIBV Semiconductor Compound Crystals.- 2.3. Microgravity Growth of AIIBVI, AIVBVI, and Other Semiconductor Solid Solutions.- 2.4. Microgravity Growth of Semiconductor Crystals from the Vapor State.- 2.5. Conclusions.- 3. Microgravity Solidification of Metals, Eutectics, and Composites.- 3.1. Immiscible-Alloy Separation.- 3.2. Metal-Matrix Composite Melting and Crystallization.- 3.3. Foam Metal Production.- 3.4. Eutectic Crystallization.- 3.5. Superconductor, Intermetallide, and Magnetic-Material Crystallization.- 3.6. Dendritic and Cellular Crystallization.- 3.7. Capillary and Surface Forces at Contacts with Solids under Microgravity.- 3.8. Diffusion, ThermalDiffusion, and Electrical Transport.- 3.9. Welding, Soldering, and Cutting.- 3.10. Conclusions.- 4. Microgravity Solidification of Glass.- 4.1. Nucleation, Metal-Glass Formation, and Supercooled-Alloy Solidification.- 4.2. Gas-Bubble Formation Kinetics in Glass Solidification.- 4.3. Reaction Kinetics in Molten Alkali Glasses and Component Diffusion.- 4.4. Conclusions.- 5. Microgravity Growth of Crystals from Aqueous Solution.- 5.1. Growth of Metallic-Conduction Organic Crystals.- 5.2. Growth of Sparingly Soluble Crystals.- 5.3. Protein Crystal Growth.- 5.4. Conclusions.- 6. Apparatus and Methods for Microgravity and Materials Science in Space.- 6.1. Microgravity High-Temperature Heaters.- 6.2. Apparatus for Fluid Physics and Solution Crystallization.- 6.3. Cutting, Welding, and Coating Apparatus.- 6.4. Levitation under Microgravity.- 6.5. Space Holographic Equipment (SHE).- 6.6. Microaccelerometers and Research on Gravitation in Space Vehicles.- 6.7. Conclusions.- 7. Experiments on Short-Term Weightlessness: Towers, Aircraft, and Rockets.- 7.1. Experiments on Aircraft, Towers, and Balloons.- 7.2. Mir Rocket Experiments in the USSR.- 7.3. Some Texus-Program Rocket Experiments.- 7.4. Apparatus for Engineering Experiments on Rockets.- 7.5. Conclusions.- 8. Crystal Growth and Alloy Solidification under Elevated Gravity.- 8.1. Centrifuge Methods of Studying Semiconductor Crystal Growth and Liquid Solidification.- 8.2. Production of Silver-Doped Lead Telluride Crystals under Elevated Gravity.- 8.3. Solidification of Tellurium-Silicon Glass and the Crystallization of Tellurium and Tellurium-Selenium Alloys under Elevated Gravity.- 8.4. Solidification of Al-Cu Eutectic Alloy under Elevated Gravity.- 8.5. Prospects for Studying Crystal Growth and Metal Solidification under Elevated Gravity.- 9. Microgravity Electrophoresis.- 9.1. General Electrophoresis Data.- 9.2. Theory of Microgravity Electrophoresis.- 9.3. Microgravity Electrophoresis Apparatus.- 9.4. Results on Microgravity Electrophoresis.- 9.5. Conclusions: Prospects for Microgravity Electrophoresis Applied to Purifying and Separating Biologically Active Compounds.- 10. Research in Materials Science in Space.- 10.1. Aspects of Microgravity Physics and Materials Science in Space.- 10.2. Research Results and Survey Publications.- 10.3. Forecasts, Programs, and Research Prospects in Materials Science in Space.- 10.4. Conclusions.- References.