Tracking Evaporation During Levitation Processing of Nickel-Based Superalloys on the ISS

Conducting experiments in an inert shielding-gas environment limits the likelihood for experiencing significant mass loss or compositional shifts due to differential relative evaporation. Species-specific evaporation is proven to be below prescribed limits and near-real time monitoring of the potential for exposure is shown to be an effective tool to ensure astronaut safety. The activity coefficients for key constituents in the alloy are defined as a function of temperature for inclusion in next-generation toxicity tracking software.