Jan 14 2021
Online Video Sessions Provide Education and Insight on Negative Thermal Expansion Benefits
College Station, TX – ALLVAR, a manufacturer of revolutionary alloys that exhibit negative thermal expansion (NTE), has announced a series of educational videos, called ALLVAR University, that showcase a particular application, calculation or considerations when designing assemblies with a component manufactured from an ALLVAR alloy.
ALLVAR alloys have unique thermal expansion properties. They shrink when heated and expand when cooled, a phenomena known as negative thermal expansion (NTE). The patented alloys are typically coupled to a traditional metal to counter their known expansion properties, making the overall structure athermal.
Dr. James A. Monroe, Founder of ALLVAR Alloys, said that this educational series is designed to enhance the understanding and the potential that a negative thermal expansion alloy can have, especially on assemblies or structures that are exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations. “Knowing how the alloy behaves across a large temperature shift can negate any degradation of performance over time.”
He added that ALLVAR Alloys are being used in complex assemblies by NASA for space telescopes or as a simple way to maintain constant force pressure over temperature. Monroe added, “We manufacture NTE washers that minimize the likelihood of a bolt shearing when exposed to repeated temperature cycles. A constant force is applied over temperature just by replacing a washer.”
The videos are each approximately 8 minutes long, and topics covered will range from applications in IR Optics and optical systems to calculating various scenarios to achieve zero overall thermal shift. Follow the company on Facebook or LinkedIn for the bi-weekly videos or visit the video library on their web site to get started.