Thermal Expansion of Crystals is a comprehensive examination of the various aspects of thermal expansion of crystals. The book provides both theoretical and experimental aspects of the study of thermal expansion. Chapters are devoted to subjects on measurement methods of thermal expansion; the theory of thermal expansion; behavior of thermal expansion during the occurrence of phase transformations; and thermal expansions in ferroelectric materials. Physicists and researchers, both theoretical and experimental, in the field of thermal expansion of crystals will find this book a valuable piece of reference.

Provides a detailed examination of theory and techniques in thermal expansion of solids. Subjects include a generalized theory, estimation techniques and selected effects, temperature measurements in solids, thermal expansion by X-ray diffraction, high sensitivity expansivity measurement techniques,

First published in 1957, this classic study has been reissued in a paperback version that includes an additional chapter bringing the material up to date. The author formulates the physical properties of crystals systematically in tensor notation, presenting tensor properties in terms of their common mathematical basis and the thermodynamic relations between them. The mathematical groundwork is laid in a discussion of tensors of the first and second ranks. Tensors of higher ranks and matrix methods are then introduced as natural developments of the theory. A similar pattern is followed in discussing thermodynamic and optical aspects.

Single crystals of alpha zirconium were used to measure, between room temperature and 860 deg C, the thermal expansions in the two principal crystallographic directions of the hexagonal-close-packed structure. The measurements were made with a dilatation interferometer. Equations which represent the lengths along the a and c axes and volume as functions of temperature are included.