Liquid-Phase Final Product Formed by an SHS Reaction of NiO–Ni–Al System Under Microgravity Conditions

The results of recent investigations on the arrangement of the experiments on fusible SHS systems of a thermite type under microgravity conditions are considered. The preliminary experiments have been performed under the terrestrial conditions on a specially designed apparatus. The in-space investigations took place on board an international space station. During processing of the experimental results a greater attention has been paid to the choice of the optimum compositions able to burn at lowered pressures and minimum dissipation of the combustion products even at their complete melting in the combustion wave. Microstructures of the combustion products formed under the terrestrial and microgravity conditions have been compared. The phenomenon of the carbide grains agglomeration in the metal matrix has been revealed. It has been found that the fragments synthesis products are essentially different in their chemical and phase compositions. The possibility of synthesizing cast metal materials on board a space station without the involvement of electrical power equipment has been shown.