Description of removable sample mount apparatus for rapid thermal conductivity measurements

Described in this paper is an apparatus in which bulk samples can easily be mounted on a removable puck for thermal conductivity measurements and then placed in the described measurement system. This rapid mounting and measurement system uses a standard steady-state absolute thermal conductivity measurement but allows for rapid measurement and excellent thermal stability coupled with the use of a closed cycle refrigerator. The distinction of this system is rapid mounting and measurement of thermal conductivity over a broad temperature range without sacrificing accuracy and precision in data acquisition. In addition, this system allows for versatility in its use. The design of this apparatus, measurement specifications, and thermal conductivity data on several standard materials measured in this system are presented. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.