Thermal and Electrical Conductivities of Tungsten and Tantalum

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Abstract
An investigation was made of the variation with temperature of the resistance, thermal conductivity, and Wiedemann-Franz ratio of pure tungsten and tantalum wires. Measurements were made of the resistance, as a function of power input, of the wires suspended in vacuum and thermostated at 77°K, 90°K, 273°K and 373°K. The resistivity of the wires was determined from the resistance at zero power input. A method was developed for calculating the thermal conductivity from the resistance at zero power input and the slope of the resistance versus power input curve. Limitations were found on the method, particularly lack of available data on the emissivity of tantalum at the temperatures used. An anomaly was observed in the variation with temperature of the resistance of tantalum.