Measurement of Specific Heat Capacity from 150 to 310 K by Thermal Radiation Calorimetry

A novel method for measurement of the specific heat capacity in the temperature range from 150 to 310 K is described. In order to achieve good temperature homogeneity in a disk-shaped specimen, a cylindrical heater was used in an apparatus based on thermal radiation calorimetry. A mixture of Bi2O3 and MgO powders was used for blackening the surfaces of the specimen, the heater, and the inside wall of the chamber. The specific heat capacities of Ni, fused quartz glass, and BaTiO3 ceramic were measured to test the performance of the calorimeter. Agreement to within 5% of the values published in the literature was obtained for these samples. Thermal hysteresis and anomalies associated with the first-order phase transition in BaTiO3 were detected in the present experiment.