Modeling of thermal expansion coefficients of composites with disc shaped inclusions and related systems

Abstract

The subject of thermal expansion, particularly negative thermal expansion, is a topic of great practical importance in view of its relevance in many everyday applications and the consequences which may arise when the thermal expansion if not controlled. This paper presents a detailed analytical model of a composite system, which enables control of the thermal expansion through the use of the thinning that is observed when a conventional material is mechanically stretched (the Poisson's effect). It is shown that the model can predict the thermal expansion of such systems to an extent comparable to more complex finite element simulations. The proposed model also permits optimization of the system to exhibit maximum negative thermal expansion, or, thermal expansion of a desired magnitude.