The Italian Association of Thermophysical Properties (AIPT) was founded in 1990 with the aim of aggregating all those in Italy who are involved in the measurement, modeling, applications and use of the main thermophysical properties, mainly in university settings and in public and private research centers.
Thermophysical properties mean all the characteristics of materials that change their values as a function of temperature, including temperature itself. In particular, the classical properties are: thermal conductivity and diffusivity, specific heat, enthalpy, thermal expansion, electrical resistivity, melting and solidification points, viscosity, and all radiative properties (emissivity, reflectivity, transmissivity and absorption). In addition, in relation to different experimental techniques, various temperature ranges are commonly distinguished: cryogenic, intermediate, and high. Properties can be studied experimentally (precision measurements, development of new measurement techniques, characterization of materials), theoretically (physical and measurement process modeling), or applicationally (importance of knowledge of the values of various properties in manufacturing practice, artifact behavior, and simulation models).
The initiator and first president of the AIPT was Prof. Giuseppe Ruffino of the University of Rome Tor Vergata. The association fully began its public activities in 1994, after Prof. Ruffino’s passing, when Dr. Francesco Righini of the CNR, Institute of Metrology “G. Colonnetti” (IMGC, Turin) assumed the presidency. Since that year, annual meetings have been convened, where, apart from the practical aspects concerning the life and management of the Association, in a Scientific Conference the participants report in long (15-20 minutes) or short (5 minutes) speeches on the fields of research in which they are engaged, the problems encountered and the results obtained. The exchange of information, results and experiences, although limited to the national environment, is particularly useful for researchers involved in the above fields. In 1996, AIPT was one of the organizers of the international conference TEMPMEKO’96, which was attended at the Polytechnic University of Turin by 170 other researchers from 34 countries.
Beginning in 1999, under the chairmanship of Prof. Giuseppe Ruscica of the Polytechnic University of Turin, the publication of the Proceedings of the AIPT Conference began, at the discretion of the speakers who deliver manuscripts of the papers presented to the chair, acting as coordinator.
Internationally, AIPT is in close contact with other major national organizations working in the same field. The development of AIPT activities was presented at the English Thermophysical Properties Awareness Club (TPAC) conference in March 1995 and at the session “Coordination of Thermophysics in Europe” during the European Conference on Thermophysical Properties (London, September 2002).