Phase transitions and their effects on the thermal diffusivity behaviour of some SiO2 polymorphs

Thermal diffusivity is a material physical property important in all problems involving non-steady state heat transfer calculations, being a decisive parameter in the response of materials subjected to thermal shock. In this work it is presented a fundamental study related to how the phase transitions may influence the thermal diffusivity behaviour as a function of temperature in the phase transforming SiO2. The experimental technique employed was the flash thermal diffusivity technique, and measurements were carried out from 100 ºC up to approximately 1200 ºC. It was found a strong dependence on the thermal diffusivity with the high and low temperature forms of the quartz and cristobalite phases.