Validation of the Wiedemann-Franz Law in Solid and Molten Tungsten above 2000 K through Thermal Conductivity Measurements via Steady-State Temperature Differential Radiometry

M Milich and HB Schonfeld and K Boboridis and D Robba and L Vlahovic and RJM Konings and JL Braun and JT Gaskins and N Bhatt and A Giri and PE Hopkins, PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 132, 146303 (2024).

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.146303

We measure the thermal conductivity of solid and molten tungsten using steady state temperature differential radiometry. We demonstrate that the thermal conductivity can be well described by application of Wiedemann -Franz law to electrical resistivity data, thus suggesting the validity of Wiedemann -Franz law to capture the electronic thermal conductivity of metals in their molten phase. We further support this conclusion using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations with a machine -learned potential. Our results show that at these high temperatures, the vibrational contribution to thermal conductivity is negligible compared to the electronic component.

Return to Publications page