Thermal conductivity of hcp iron at high pressure and temperature

Results of steady-state heat transfer experiments on iron in laser-heated diamond anvil cell, combined with numerical simulation using finite-element method are reported. Thermal boundary conditions, dimensions of sample assemblage, heating-laser beam characteristics and relevant optical properties have been well defined in the course of experiments. The thermal conductivity of the polycrystalline hexagonal-iron foil has been determined up to pressure 70GPa and temperature 2000K. At these conditions, the conductivity value of 32 +/- 7W/mK was found. Sources of errors arising from uncertainties in input parameters and applied experimental procedures are discussed. Considering results of earlier preferred-orientation studies in diamond anvil cell, an averaging effect of polycrystalline texture on the intrinsic anisotropy is assumed. The obtained conductivity is interpreted as an effective value, falling in between the upper and lower bounds on the average conductivity of a random aggregate of uniaxial crystals.