NEGATIVE THERMAL EXPANSION MATERIAL AND COMPOSITE MATERIAL

Abstract

A negative thermal expansion material according to an embodiment is represented by a general formula (1): Cu.sub.2-xR.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 (R is at least one element selected from Zn, Ga, and Fe) and includes an oxide sintered compact whose linear expansion coefficient is 10 ppm/K or less.

Claims

1. A negative thermal expansion material that is represented by a general formula (1): Cu.sub.2-xR.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 (R is at least one element selected from Zn, Ga, and Fe) and that comprises an oxide sintered compact whose linear expansion coefficient is 10 ppm/K or less.

2. The negative thermal expansion material according to claim 1, wherein x in the general formula (1) is 0.1 to 0.2.

3. The negative thermal expansion material according to claim 1, wherein R is Zn.

4. The negative thermal expansion material according to claim 3, wherein x in the general formula (1) is 0.15 to 1.

5. A negative thermal expansion material that is represented by a general formula (2): Cu.sub.2V.sub.2-xMo.sub.xO.sub.7 and that comprises an oxide sintered compact whose linear expansion coefficient is 10 ppm/K or less.

6. The negative thermal expansion material according to claim 5, wherein x in the general formula (2) is 0.1 to 0.2.

7. The negative thermal expansion material according to claim 1, wherein the oxide sintered compact is in a monoclinic phase.

8. The negative thermal expansion material according to claim 1, wherein the linear expansion coefficient is 10 ppm/K or less in a temperature range of 100 to 700K.

9. A composite material comprising: the negative thermal expansion material according to claim 1; and a positive thermal expansion material having a positive linear expansion coefficient.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings that are meant to be exemplary, not limiting, and wherein like elements are numbered alike in several figures, in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the X-ray diffraction pattern of Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 containing no Zn as a constituent element and the X-ray diffraction pattern of Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 containing Zn as a constituent element;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the thermal expansion property of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 and the thermal expansion property of -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the thermal expansion properties of oxide sintered compacts expressed by a general formula (1): Cu.sub.2-xR.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 (R is at least one element selected from Zn, Ga, and Fe) with different substitution elements or a general formula (2): Cu.sub.2V.sub.2-xMo.sub.xO.sub.7;

[0013] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the thermal expansion property of each sample having a different substitution amount x when the substitution element is Zn;

[0014] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the thermal expansion property of a composite material according to the present embodiment; and

[0015] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a significant discrepancy between V/V (unit cell) and V/V (bulk).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The invention will now be described by reference to the preferred embodiments. This does not intend to limit the scope of the present invention, but to exemplify the invention.

[0017] The present inventors have focused on a Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 system as a candidate for a substance that exhibits negative thermal expansion. Although -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 which has an orthorhombic crystal structure has drawn interest as a multiferroic substance in which both a ferroelectric property and a weak paramagnetic property coexist, anisotropic thermal deformation of the crystal lattice can be seen, which is believed to be due to dielectric instability, in a relatively wide temperature range including room temperature and temperature higher than the room temperature. As a result, negative thermal expansion appears where the unit cell volume contracts as the temperature rises in a wide temperature range.

[0018] By substituting Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 with various elements, a monoclinic phase and a triclinic y phase in addition to an orthorhombic phase can be realized. Accordingly, the present inventors have found that when a part of the Cu site or the V site is substituted with another element, negative thermal expansion properties that cannot be realized in the conventional -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 system are expressed and have devised a negative thermal expansion material illustrated in the following.

[0019] A negative thermal expansion material according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is represented by a general formula (1): Cu.sub.2-xR.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 (R is at least one element selected from Zn, Ga, and Fe) and includes an oxide sintered compact whose linear expansion coefficient is 10 (ppm/K) or less.

[0020] According to this embodiment, a negative linear expansion coefficient can be realized whose absolute value is larger than that of the linear expansion coefficient of a-Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 in which Cu is not substituted with R.

[0021] In the general formula (1), x may be 0.1 to 1. Thereby, a linear expansion coefficient can be realized whose absolute value is larger than that of the linear expansion coefficient of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 in which Cu is not substituted with R.

[0022] R may be Zn. This allows a p-phase (monoclinic phase) crystal structure to be obtained that is stable at room temperature.

[0023] In the general formula (1), x may be 0.15 to 1. Thereby, a linear expansion coefficient can be realized whose absolute value is larger than that of the linear expansion coefficient of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 in which Cu is not substituted with R.

[0024] Another embodiment of the present disclosure also relates to a negative thermal expansion material. This negative thermal expansion material is represented by a general formula (2): Cu.sub.2V.sub.2-xMo.sub.xO.sub.7, and includes an oxide sintered compact whose linear expansion coefficient is 10 ppm/K or less.

[0025] According to this embodiment, a negative linear expansion coefficient can be realized whose absolute value is larger than that of the linear expansion coefficient of a-Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 in which Cu is not substituted with R.

[0026] X may be 0.1 to 0.3. Thereby, a linear expansion coefficient can be realized whose absolute value is larger than that of the linear expansion coefficient of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 in which Cu is not substituted with R.

[0027] The oxide sintered compact may be in a monoclinic phase.

[0028] The linear expansion coefficient may be 10 ppm/K or less in a temperature range of 100 to 700K.

[0029] Another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a composite material. This composite material includes a negative thermal expansion material and a positive thermal expansion material having a positive linear expansion coefficient. This allows for the realization of the composite material in which volume change with respect to temperature change is suppressed.

[0030] Hereinafter, an embodiment for carrying out the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing and the like.

[0031] (Method for Preparing Samples)

[0032] First, a polycrystalline sintered compact (ceramics) sample of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 and a polycrystalline sintered compact (ceramics) sample of -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 were prepared using a solid phase reaction method. More specifically, CuO, ZnO, and V.sub.2O.sub.5, which were weighed at a stoichiometric molar ratio, were mixed in a mortar and heated in the atmosphere at a temperature of 873 to 953K for 10 hours. The powder that was obtained was sintered using a spark plasma sintering (SPS) furnace (manufactured by SPS SYNTEX INC.) so as to obtain an oxide sintered compact. The sintering was performed for 5 minutes at 723K using a graphite die under vacuum (<10.sup.1 Pa).

[0033] Thereafter, the crystal structure of each sample was evaluated using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) method (measurement temperature of 295K, CuK characteristic X-ray: wavelength =0.15418 nm) and a radiation light temperature change X-ray diffraction method (wavelength A=0.06521 nm). FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the X-ray diffraction pattern of Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 containing no Zn as a constituent element and the X-ray diffraction pattern of Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 containing Zn as a constituent element.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 in which Cu is not substituted with Zn has an a phase (orthorhombic) crystal structure, and Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 in which a part of Cu is substituted with Zn has a phase (monoclinic) crystal structure. As described, by substituting a part of an element of Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 with another element, a phase which does not stably exist unless the temperature is high (977K or more) in the Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 composition can stably exist at room temperature.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the thermal expansion property of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 and the thermal expansion property of -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7. The vertical axis represents a volume change V/V based on a volume V at 100K. The volume change has been calculated using a linear expansion coefficient calculated using a laser thermal expansion system (LIX-2: manufactured by ULVAC, Inc.) (measurement temperature range: 100 to 700 K). Table 1 shows the respective crystal structures and the respective values of volumetric expansion coefficients , negative thermal expansion expression ranges T (K), and total volume change amounts V/V (%) of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 and -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Crystal T V/V structure (ppm/K) (K) (%) -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 orthorhombic 16 500 (100-600) 0.80 -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 monoclinic 43 600 (100-700) 2.6

[0036] As shown in Table 1, in -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7, the absolute value of the volumetric expansion coefficient (=3a) is 2.5 or more times the absolute value of the volumetric expansion coefficient of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7. Further, the total volume change amount V/V of -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 is 2.6%, which is three or more times the total volume change amount of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7, and it can be found that the material exhibits large negative thermal expansion. Further, while the absolute value of the linear expansion coefficient starts to decrease around when the temperature exceeds 600K in -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7, the linear expansion coefficient is almost constant even at 700K in -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7.

[0037] Next, the influence of a substitution element on negative thermal expansion will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the thermal expansion properties of oxide sintered compacts expressed by a general formula (1): Cu.sub.2-xR.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 (R is at least one element selected from Zn, Ga, and Fe) with different substitution elements or a general formula (2): Cu.sub.2V.sub.2-xMo.sub.xO.sub.7. Table 2 shows the substitution elements and the respective values of the substitution amounts x, the linear expansion coefficients , the measurement temperature ranges T (K), and the total volume change amounts V/V (%).

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 substitution T V/V elements x (ppm/K) (K) (%) Zn 0.2 14.4 600 (100-700) 2.6 Ga 0.1 13.9 400 (100-500) 1.6 Fe 0.2 10.3 400 (100-500) 0.93 Mo 0.2 15.2 400 (100-500) 1.8

[0038] As shown in Table 2, in the general formula (1) or (2), even when the substitution element was Ga, Fe, or Mo and the substitution amount x was 0.1 to 0.2, negative thermal expansion larger than that of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 was observed at least in the temperature range of 100 to 500K. More specifically, all the samples have a linear expansion coefficient of 10 ppm/K or less and can realize a negative linear expansion coefficient whose absolute value is larger than that of the linear expansion coefficient of -Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 in which Cu is not substituted with R. Therefore, in the general formula (1) or (2), when the substitution element is Ga, Fe, or Mo, the substitution amount x is 0.05 or more, preferably 0.1 or more, and the substitution amount x is 0.3 or less, preferably 0.2 or less.

[0039] Next, the influence of the substitution amount x of the substitution element will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the thermal expansion property of each sample having a different substitution amount x when the substitution element is Zn. Table 3 shows the substitution elements and the respective values of the substitution amounts x, the linear expansion coefficients , the measurement temperature ranges T (K), and the total volume change amounts V/V (%).

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 substitution T /V elements x (ppm/K) (K) (%) Zn 0.15 10.2 400 (100-500) 1.2 Zn 0.2 14.4 600 (100-700) 2.6 Zn 0.3 14.1 400 (100-500) 1.7 Zn 0.5 9.4 400 (100-500) 1.1 Zn 1 6.8 400 (100-500) 0.8

[0040] As shown in Table 3, even when the substitution amount x of the substitution element Zn of Cu.sub.2-xZn.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 was 0.15 to 1, negative thermal expansion larger than that of a-Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 was observed at least in the temperature range of 100 to 500K. Note that -Cu.sub.2-xZn.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 may have a linear expansion coefficient of 10 ppm/K or less and preferably 14 ppm/K or less in a temperature range of 100 to 700 K. More specifically, the substitution amount x of the substitution element Zn of Cu.sub.2-xZn.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 is preferably 0.15 or more and 0.5 or less and more preferably 0.2 or more and 0.3 or less.

[0041] Next, a composite material will be described that includes a negative thermal expansion material composed of an oxide sintered compact represented by the general formula (1): Cu.sub.2-xR.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 (R is at least one element selected from Zn, Ga, and Fe), or the general formula (2): Cu.sub.2V.sub.2-xMo.sub.xO.sub.7, and a positive thermal expansion material having a positive linear expansion coefficient such as a resin, a metal, or the like.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the thermal expansion property of a composite material according to the present embodiment. The composite material shown in FIG. 5 is a mixture of 50 vol % of -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 having a linear expansion coefficient of 14 ppm/K and 50 vol % of an epoxy resin having a linear expansion coefficient of 60 ppm/K. As shown in FIG. 5, in the composite material according to the present embodiment, the thermal expansion (volume change) with respect to the temperature change is largely suppressed as compared with the case of an epoxy resin alone. Instead of the epoxy resin, a resin material such as an engineering plastic, a polyvinyl butyral resin, or a phenol resin, or a metal material such as aluminum may be included.

[0043] The line described as ROM (Rule of Mixture) in FIG. 5 indicates an ideal linear expansion coefficient when two materials having different linear expansion coefficients are mixed at a predetermined volume fraction, and the line almost matches the linear expansion coefficient measured for the composite material according to the present embodiment.

[0044] In -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 explained in the present embodiment, V/V (unit cell) associated with a temperature rise in terms of a unit cell of the crystal is much smaller than V/V (bulk) associated with a temperature rise in terms of the whole oxide sintered compact. More specifically, when the temperature of the sintered compact of -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 is raised from 200K to 700K, the lattice constant of a monoclinic crystal ( phase) changes by 1.6% in the a axis, 1.1% in the b axis, and 0.3% in the c axis, and 0.1% in the angle , and V/V (unit cell) is 0.8%. Therefore, V/V (unit cell) is only about one third of V/V (bulk), which is 2.6%, shown in Table 1.

[0045] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a significant discrepancy between V/V (unit cell) and V/V (bulk). As shown in FIG. 6, in the sintered compact (ceramics), there are pores between the crystal grains. Further, the negative thermal expansion of the crystal does not always change isotropically in size, and in the case of -Cu.sub.1.8Zn.sub.0.2V.sub.2O.sub.7, the crystal shrinks in the directions of the a axis and the c axis as described above but expands in the direction of the b axis. Therefore, if there is a gap in the direction of the b axis, the expansion of the crystal in the direction of the b axis is absorbed in the gap. Thus, it is considered that the negative thermal expansion is large as a whole in the sintered compact.

[0046] As described above, in the negative thermal expansion material according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the linear expansion coefficient is substantially constant under temperature change in a wide temperature range of about 100 to 700K, and material function designing is thus easy. Further, there are industrial merits such as being composed mainly of inexpensive elements such as Cu, Zn, and V and being oxides having low synthesis temperature that allows for easy manufacturing.

[0047] Described above is an explanation of the present disclosure based on the embodiments. These embodiments are intended to be illustrative only, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications to constituting elements and processes could be developed and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0048] The oxide sintered compact represented by the general formula (1): Cu.sub.2-xR.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 (R is at least one element selected from Zn, Ga, and Fe) or the general formula (2): Cu.sub.2V.sub.2-xMo.sub.xO.sub.7 of the present disclosure can be used as a thermal expansion suppressor for canceling out and suppressing thermal expansion usually exhibited by a material. Further, zero thermal expansion materials can be also made that do not expand positively or negatively in a particular temperature range.

[0049] More specifically, the oxide sintered compact can be used for precision optical components and mechanical components, process equipment and tools, temperature compensation materials for fiber gratings, printed circuit boards, encapsulants for electronic components, thermal switches, refrigerator parts, satellite parts, and the like that disfavor changes in shape and/or dimensions due to temperature. In particular, by using a composite material in which a negative thermal expansion material is dispersed in a matrix phase of a resin having a large positive thermal expansion coefficient, thermal expansion can be suppressed and controlled even in a resin material, and thus usage in various applications can be possible.