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Understanding the negative thermal expansion in planar graphite–metal composites

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Abstract

The addition of graphitic fibers and flakes as fillers is commonly used to control the thermal expansion of metals. Sintered metal matrix composites with a planar distribution of graphite flakes show a low or negative thermal expansion coefficient perpendicular to the orientation plane of the graphite (z-CTE). Since the metal matrix has a positive isotropic expansion and graphite has a high z-CTE, this effect cannot be explained by a simple model of stapled metal–graphite layers. Instead, a mechanical interaction between graphite and matrix must be considered. With neutron scattering measurements, we show that there is little or no strain of the graphite flakes caused by the matrix, which can be explained by the high modulus of graphite. Instead, we suggest that a macroscopic crumpling of the flakes is responsible for the low z-CTE of the composite. The crumpled flakes are thicker at low temperature and get stretched and flattened by the expanding matrix at high temperature, explaining the reduction in the thermal expansion across the orientation plane.

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Acknowledgements

We thank N. Tessier-Doyen (University of Limoges, France), Anton PJ Stampfl (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) and Nils Stelzer (Aerospace & Advanced Composites GmbH, Austria) for helpful discussions. V. O. wishes to acknowledge the Evonik Foundation for financial support. Further, we acknowledge Benji Börner for the help with CTE measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Valerio Oddone & Stephanie Reich

  2. Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109, Berlin, Germany

    Robert C. Wimpory

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  1. Valerio Oddone
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  2. Robert C. Wimpory
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  3. Stephanie Reich
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Correspondence to Valerio Oddone.

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Oddone, V., Wimpory, R.C. & Reich, S. Understanding the negative thermal expansion in planar graphite–metal composites. J Mater Sci 54, 1267–1274 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-2879-y

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