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A Nonconformist Compound
A material that shrinks when heated may keep thermal problems in check
Zirconium tungstate could be used in computer chips, dental materials, and heat-sensitive devices that then will be less likely to crack.
References:
Ernst, G. . . . A.P. Ramirez. 1998. Phonon density of states and negative thermal expansion in ZrW2O8. Nature 396(Nov. 12):147.
Holzer, H., and D.C. Dunand. In press. Phase transformation and thermal expansion of Cu/ ZrW2O8 metal matrix composites. Journal of Materials Research.
Further Readings:
Evans, J.S.O. . . . A.W. Sleight. 1997. Compressibility, phase transitions, and oxygen migration in zirconium tungstate, ZrW2O8. Science 275(Jan. 3):61.
Mary, T.A. . . . A.W. Sleight. 1996. Negative thermal expansion from 0.3 to 1050 Kelvin in ZrW2O8. Science 272(April 5):90.
Ramirez, A.P., and G.R. Kowach. 1998. Large low temperature specific heat in the negavitive thermal expansion compound ZrW2O8. Physical Review Letters 80(June 1):4903.
Verdon, C., and D.C. Dunand. 1997. High-temperature reactivity in the ZrW2O8-Cu system. Scripta Materialia 36:1075.
Sources:
David C. Dunand
Northwestern University
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
1123 MLSB
2225 North Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 60208-3108
Web site: http://www.nwu.edu/materials/faculty/dcd.html
David Johnson
Lucent Technologies
Bell Labs
600 Mountain Avenue
Murray Hill, NJ 07974-0636
Web site: http://www.lucent.com/
Glen R. Kowach
Lucent Technologies
Bell Labs
600 Mountain Avenue
Murray Hill, NJ 07974-0636
Web site: http://www.lucent.com/
Arthur P. Ramirez
Lucent Technologies
Bell Labs
600 Mountain Avenue
Murray Hill, NJ 07974-0636
Web site: http://www.lucent.com/
Arthur W. Sleight
Oregon State University
Department of Chemistry
Corvallis, OR 97331
Web site: http://www.chem.orst.edu/personalhomepages/sleight.htm
From Science News, Vol. 155, No. 8, February 20, 1999, p. 120. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.
