Negative behaviour by design : scale independent mechanisms for generating negative behaviour

Abstract

Materials exhibiting Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) shrink in size when heated and expand when cooled. Such behaviour behaviour can be isotropic isotropic, i.e. NTE is exhibited exhibited equally in all di tirecons or anisotropic it p where NTE is exhibited exhibited hibit d in some b tu not all di tirecons directions. Here we propose propose a novel system constructible constructible t tibl at any lengthscale lengthscale including including the nanoscale nanoscale from conventional conventional components components having different different mechanical mechanical and thermal thermal properties properties which may be combined combined to form systems systems which exhibit exhibit pre-determined determined CTE values, in particular particular negative ones (NTE).