Thermoelectric power (TEP) measurements as a materials characterization technique

Traditional 'indirect' methods for studying microstructural changes include electrical resistivity, dilatometry and microhardness. These methods are 'indirect' in that they measure the variation of a property that is itself influenced by changes in microstructure. A relatively new technique for this 'indirect' measurement of the microstructural changes is thermoelectric power (TEP) measurement. Such a technique has the advantages that it is relatively simple, it is easy to implement and the measured parameter is highly sensitive to microstructural changes. In this paper, we first describe the design and construction of a TEP measurement system (equipment). We then go on to describe the application of this system to the investigation of the microstructural changes occurring during the annealing of cold‐worked zirconium alloy tubing and the heat treating of an aluminum alloy.