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Thermal Properties of Materials: - How Does An Engineering

Thermal properties of materials can help answer questions about how a material changes size with temperature, transmits heat, requires energy to heat, and can be used at different temperatures. Key thermal properties include thermal expansivity, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and melting point. Thermal energy in materials comes from atomic vibrations and phonons. Thermal conductivity is influenced by bonding strength, atomic arrangement, and porosity. Materials expand when heated due to increasing atomic vibrations. Phase transformations can occur with temperature changes, altering material properties.

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Shione T Mundawarara
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84 views16 pages

Thermal Properties of Materials: - How Does An Engineering

Thermal properties of materials can help answer questions about how a material changes size with temperature, transmits heat, requires energy to heat, and can be used at different temperatures. Key thermal properties include thermal expansivity, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and melting point. Thermal energy in materials comes from atomic vibrations and phonons. Thermal conductivity is influenced by bonding strength, atomic arrangement, and porosity. Materials expand when heated due to increasing atomic vibrations. Phase transformations can occur with temperature changes, altering material properties.

Uploaded by

Shione T Mundawarara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Thermal properties of materials

Generally well-defined set of properties / characteristics that allow


us to answer questions like:

• How does an engineering


component change size when Thermal expansivity -
heated?
• How well does it transmit heat? Thermal conductivity -


• How much energy is required to Specific heat capacity - c
heat it?
• At what temperatures can I use it? Melting point - Tm

Other less well-defined properties include fire resistance, thermal


shock resistance.
What is thermal energy?

• The thermal energy content of a


material arises mostly from the
vibration of atoms
• Atoms linked by bonds vibrations


not independent vibrations

coupled to form waves
• Only certain values of vibrational
energy allowed energy is


quantised in the form of phonons

In metals there is an additional contribution to thermal energy


from the kinetic energy of free electrons.
Thermal conductivity

T1 T2

heat

∆x

Heat flux q (W/m2)  System response


Thermal conductivity λ  Material property
Defining equation: q = – λdT/dx
Units: W/(mK)
Mechanisms of heat conduction
1. Diffusion of thermal vibrations from high- to low- temperature
regions. This is promoted by:
- Strong bonds

- Regular arrangement of atoms (to prevent phonon scattering)

2. In metals, additional significant contribution from free


electrons. This is promoted by regular arrangement of atoms
(to prevent scattering of the electrons)
High thermal conductivity is associated with:

• Large numbers of free electrons and efficient


movement of electrons ( correlation with electrical
conductivity in metals)

• Strong interatomic bonding ( correlation with


speed of sound in material and material stiffness)

• Regular arrangement of atoms

• Low porosity

 see tutorial sheet 1


Thermal expansion
Why do materials expand when heated?

T1
T2
Potential energy vs interatomic distance

r1 r2 r3

E3

E2

E1
Thermal expansivity
T1 T2

l l + ∆l
Length change l System response



Linear coefficient of thermal expansion Material property


1 dl
Defining equation: α=
l dT

Units: K-1
Typical values of thermal
expansivity

Ceramics: 1 – 10 x 10-6 K-1


Increasing
Metals: 10 – 20 x 10-6 K-1 bond
strength
Polymers: 30 – 300 x 10-6 K-1

Stiff materials  low thermal expansivity


Potential energy vs interatomic distance

r1 r2 r3

E3

E2

E1
Thermal
Thermal shock shock
α

MF Ashby: Materials
Selection in
λ Mechanical Design
Other consequences of thermal
expansion?
See question 2, tutorial sheet 1

Note: it is possible in some materials to tailor the


thermal expansivity  Invars
Invar ( invariant) = Iron-nickel alloys with ~36% Ni.
Thermal expansivity ~1 x 10-6 K-1  exceptionally low,
can also be tailored to match that of other low thermal
expansion materials e.g. glass  use for glass / metal
seals.
Anomalously low thermal expansivity due to magnetic
effects. (More information on web site).
Charles Guillaume
Discoverer of invars 1897
Nobel Prize 1920

From Guillaume, Nobel lecture


Phase transformations
Change in crystal structure, generally
brought about through temperature
change.

e.g. Quartz (major constituent of granite, α β


quartzite and other mineral aggregates
used in concrete)
quartz phase transition at 573°C



2% INCREASE in volume


explosive spalling in concrete under fire




conditions

See Tucker, Keen and Dove, Min Mag 2001, 65, 489-507
Iron density

bcc

912 °C

fcc

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