Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

The ratio that a material expands in accordance with changes in temperature is called the coefficient of thermal expansion. Because Fine Ceramics possess low coefficients of thermal expansion, their distortion values, with respect to changes in temperature, are low. The coefficients of thermal expansion depend on the bond strength between the atoms that make up the materials. Covalent materials such as diamond, silicon carbide and silicon nitride have strong bonds between atoms, resulting in low coefficients of thermal expansion. In contrast, materials such as stainless steel possess weaker bonds between atoms, resulting in much higher coefficients of thermal expansion in comparison with Fine Ceramics.