{"id":15286,"date":"2025-07-29T11:25:33","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T16:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.misumiusa.com\/?page_id=15286"},"modified":"2025-07-31T09:29:33","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T14:29:33","slug":"thermal-expansion-coefficients","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/thermal-expansion-coefficients\/","title":{"rendered":"Linear Thermal Expansion Coefficient of Materials Chart"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When designing parts that need to maintain tight tolerances under temperature changes, understanding the linear thermal expansion of materials like aluminum<\/a> and steel<\/a> is essential. As materials heat up, they expand\u2014some more than others. For instance, aluminum expands nearly twice as much as steel when exposed to the same temperature change. This difference can affect everything from precision machined components to large structural assemblies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Linear Thermal Expansion Coefficient Table<\/title>\n <style>\n .thermal-expansion-container {\n all: initial;\n max-width: 1400px;\n margin: 20px auto;\n background-color: #f5f5f5;\n padding: 20px;\n border-radius: 8px;\n box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);\n font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\n display: block;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table {\n all: initial;\n background-color: white;\n padding: 20px;\n border-radius: 8px;\n display: block;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table * {\n all: unset;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table table {\n display: table;\n width: 100%;\n border-collapse: collapse;\n margin-bottom: 30px;\n box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);\n font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table thead {\n display: table-header-group;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table tbody {\n display: table-row-group;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table tr {\n display: table-row;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table th,\n .thermal-expansion-table td {\n display: table-cell;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table th {\n background-color: #34495e;\n color: white;\n padding: 12px 8px;\n text-align: left;\n font-weight: bold;\n position: sticky;\n top: 0;\n z-index: 10;\n font-size: 14px;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table td {\n padding: 6px 8px;\n border-bottom: 1px solid #ecf0f1;\n font-size: 13px;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table tr:nth-child(even) {\n background-color: #f8f9fa;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table tr:hover {\n background-color: #e3f2fd;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table .category-header {\n background-color: #3498db !important;\n color: white !important;\n font-weight: bold;\n text-align: center;\n font-size: 16px;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table .material-name {\n font-weight: 500;\n min-width: 200px;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table .coefficient {\n text-align: center;\n font-family: 'Courier New', monospace;\n min-width: 100px;\n font-weight: bold;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table .notes {\n font-size: 12px;\n color: #666;\n font-style: italic;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table .negative {\n color: #e74c3c;\n font-weight: bold;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table .notes-section {\n display: block;\n background-color: #f8f9fa;\n border-radius: 8px;\n padding: 20px;\n margin-top: 30px;\n font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table .notes-section h3 {\n display: block;\n color: #2c3e50;\n margin-top: 0;\n margin-bottom: 15px;\n font-size: 18px;\n font-weight: bold;\n font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table .notes-section ul {\n display: block;\n color: #555;\n line-height: 1.6;\n margin: 0;\n padding-left: 20px;\n font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\n }\n \n .thermal-expansion-table .notes-section li {\n display: list-item;\n list-style-type: disc;\n margin-bottom: 8px;\n font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\n }\n <\/style>\n\n\n <div class=\"thermal-expansion-container\">\n <div class=\"thermal-expansion-table\">\n <table id=\"materialTable\">\n <thead>\n <tr>\n <th>Material<\/th>\n <th>Coefficient (10\u207b\u2076\/\u00b0C)<\/th>\n <th>Notes<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n <tbody>\n <!-- METALS AND ALLOYS -->\n <tr class=\"category-header\">\n <td colspan=\"3\">Metals and Alloys<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Aluminum<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">23.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Pure aluminum<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Aluminum alloys<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">21-24<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Varies by alloy composition<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Aluminum nitride<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">4.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Technical ceramic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Antimony<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Arsenic<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">4.7<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Barium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">20.6<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Beryllium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Bismuth<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">13.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Boron<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Brass<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">19<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cu-Zn alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Bronze<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">18<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cu-Sn alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Cadmium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">30.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Calcium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">22.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Cerium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">6.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Chromium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">4.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Cobalt<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">13.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Constantan<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">14.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cu-Ni alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Copper<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">16.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Pure copper<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Copper, Beryllium 25<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">17.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cu-Be alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Cupronickel 30% (constantan)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">14.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Same as Constantan<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Duralumin<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">23<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Al-Cu-Mg alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Dysprosium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">9.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Erbium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">12.2<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Europium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">35<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Gadolinium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">9.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">German silver<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">18.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cu-Ni-Zn alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Germanium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">6.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Gold<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">14.2<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Pure gold<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Gold – copper<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">14.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Au-Cu alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Gold – platinum<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">14.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Au-Pt alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Gunmetal<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">18<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cu-Sn-Zn alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Hafnium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Hard alloy K20<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Tungsten carbide based<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Hastelloy C<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Ni-Cr-Mo alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Holmium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11.2<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Inconel<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">13.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Ni-Cr alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Indium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">32.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Invar<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">1.2<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Fe-Ni alloy, low expansion<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Iridium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">6.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Iron, cast<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">10.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cast iron<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Iron, forged<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Wrought iron<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Iron, pure<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Pure iron<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Lanthanum<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">12.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Lead<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">28.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Pure lead<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Antimonial lead (hard lead)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">26.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Hard lead with antimony<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Lithium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">46<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Lutetium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">9.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Magnalium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">24<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Al-Mg alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Magnesium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">24.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Pure magnesium<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Magnesium alloy AZ31B<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">26<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Mg-Al-Zn alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Manganese<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">21.7<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Manganin<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">18.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cu-Mn-Ni alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Mercury<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">60.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Liquid at room temp<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Molybdenum<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">4.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Monel metal<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">14.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Ni-Cu alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Neodymium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">9.6<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Nickel<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">13.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Niobium (Columbium)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">7.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Osmium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Palladium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Phosphor bronze<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">17.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cu-Sn-P alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Platinum<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">8.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Plutonium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">46.7<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Potassium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">83<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Praseodymium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">6.7<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Promethium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Estimated<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Rhenium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">6.2<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Rhodium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">8.2<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Rubidium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">90<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Ruthenium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">6.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Samarium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">12.7<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Scandium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">10.2<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Selenium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Silicon<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">2.6<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Silver<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">18.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Sodium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">71<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Solder lead – tin, 50% – 50%<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">25<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Speculum metal<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">18.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cu-Sn alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Steel<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11-13<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Carbon steel<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Steel Stainless Austenitic (304)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">17.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Steel Stainless Austenitic (310)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">14.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Steel Stainless Austenitic (316)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">16.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Steel Stainless Ferritic (410)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">9.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Strontium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">22.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Tantalum<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">6.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Tellurium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">16.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Terbium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">10.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Terne<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">29.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Pb-Sn alloy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Thallium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">29.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Thorium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Thulium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">13.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Tin<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">22.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Titanium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">8.6<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Tungsten<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">4.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Uranium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">13.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Vanadium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">8.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Ytterbium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">26.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Yttrium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">10.6<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Zinc<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">30.2<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Zirconium<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5.7<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n\n <!-- CERAMICS AND TECHNICAL MATERIALS -->\n <tr class=\"category-header\">\n <td colspan=\"3\">Ceramics and Technical Materials<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Alumina (aluminium oxide, Al\u2082O\u2083)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">8.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Aluminum oxide ceramic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Barium ferrite<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">10<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Magnetic ceramic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Corundum, sintered<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">8.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Sintered aluminum oxide<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Diamond (Carbon)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">1.1<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Extremely low expansion<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Fluorspar, CaF\u2082<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">18.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Calcium fluoride<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Graphite, pure (Carbon)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">7.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Along basal plane<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Macor<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">9.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Machinable glass ceramic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Porcelain, Industrial<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Quartz, fused<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">0.54<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Very low expansion<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Quartz, mineral<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">14<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Natural crystal<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Rock salt<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">40<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">NaCl crystal<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Sapphire<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">7.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Single crystal Al\u2082O\u2083<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Silicon Carbide<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">4.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Technical ceramic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Sitall<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">0\u00b10.15<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Glass ceramic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Steatite<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">8.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Magnesium silicate ceramic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n\n <!-- GLASSES -->\n <tr class=\"category-header\">\n <td colspan=\"3\">Glasses<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Glass, hard<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">9.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Borosilicate type<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Glass, plate<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">9.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Standard window glass<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Glass, Pyrex<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">3.3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Low expansion borosilicate<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n\n <!-- NATURAL MATERIALS -->\n <tr class=\"category-header\">\n <td colspan=\"3\">Natural Materials<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Amber<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">50<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Fossilized resin<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Brick masonry<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Clay tile structure<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5.9<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Concrete<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">10-14<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Varies with aggregate<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Concrete structure<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">12<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Typical structural concrete<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Granite<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">8.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Natural stone<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Ice, 0\u00b0C water<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">51<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">At 0\u00b0C<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Limestone<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">8.0<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Marble<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">2.5-16<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Varies with composition<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Masonry, brick<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Mica<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">3<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Sheet mica<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Mortar<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">7-14<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cement-based<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Oak, perpendicular to the grain<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">50<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Across growth rings<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Sandstone<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">11.6<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Slate<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">10.4<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Wedgwood ware<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">5.8<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Fine ceramic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Wood, across (perpendicular) to grain<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">30-70<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Perpendicular to fibers<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Wood, fir<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">50<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Across grain<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Wood, parallel to grain<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">3-5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Along fibers<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Wood, pine<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">50<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Across grain<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n\n <!-- POLYMERS AND PLASTICS -->\n <tr class=\"category-header\">\n <td colspan=\"3\">Polymers and Plastics<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">90<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Thermoplastic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">ABS -glass fiber-reinforced<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">30<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">With glass reinforcement<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Acetal – glass fiber-reinforced<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">22<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">POM with glass fibers<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Acetals<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">85<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">POM, Delrin<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Acrylic<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">70<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">PMMA<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Bakelite, bleached<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">22<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Phenolic resin<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Benzocyclobutene<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">42<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Electronic polymer<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Caoutchouc<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">220<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Natural rubber<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Cast Iron Gray<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">10.5<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Gray cast iron<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Celluloid<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">100<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Cellulose nitrate plastic<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Cellulose acetate (CA)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">130<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Cellulose acetate butynate (CAB)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">150<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Cellulose nitrate (CN)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">100<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Chlorinated polyether<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">50<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Chlorinated polyvinylchloride (CPVC)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">66<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Chlorinated PVC<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Ebonite<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">80<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Hard rubber<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Epoxy – glass fiber reinforced<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">26<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">With glass reinforcement<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Epoxy, cast resins & compounds, unfilled<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">55<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Pure epoxy<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Ethylene ethyl acrylate (EEA)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">200<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">180<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Fluoroethylene propylene (FEP)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">135<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Fluoropolymer<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Gutta percha<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">150<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Natural polymer<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Kapton<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">12<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Polyimide film<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Nylon, general purpose<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">80<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">PA6, PA66<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Nylon, glass fiber reinforced<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">23<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">With glass fibers<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Nylon, Type 11, molding and extruding compound<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">100<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">PA11<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Nylon, Type 12, molding and extruding compound<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">80<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">PA12<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Nylon, Type 6, cast<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">85<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">PA6<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Nylon, Type 6\/6, molding compound<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">80<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">PA66<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Paraffin<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">200<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Wax<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Phenolic resin without fillers<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">60<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Plaster<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">17<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Gypsum plaster<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Plastics<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">20-200<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">General range<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyacrylonitrile<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">70<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">PAN<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyallomer<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">100<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyamide (PA)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">80<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Nylon family<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polybutylene (PB)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">130<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polycarbonate (PC)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">65<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polycarbonate – glass fiber-reinforced<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">23<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">With glass fibers<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyester<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">60<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyester – glass fiber-reinforced<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">21<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">With glass fibers<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyethylene (PE)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">200<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyethylene (PE) – High Molecular Weight<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">200<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">HMWPE<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">70<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyphenylene<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">50<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyphenylene – glass fiber-reinforced<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">20<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">With glass fibers<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polypropylene (PP), unfilled<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">100<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polypropylene – glass fiber-reinforced<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">32<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">With glass fibers<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polystyrene (PS)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">80<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polysulfone (PSO)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">56<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">135<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Teflon<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyurethane (PUR), rigid<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">57<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">80<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">130<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Rubber, hard<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">80<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Topas<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">60<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">COC polymer<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Vinyl Ester<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">55<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\"><\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Vulcanite<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">77<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Vulcanized rubber<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Wax<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">200<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">General wax<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n\n <!-- SPECIAL MATERIALS -->\n <tr class=\"category-header\">\n <td colspan=\"3\">Special Materials<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">ALLVAR Alloy 30 (negative thermal expansion)<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient negative\">-30<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Negative expansion<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <tr>\n <td class=\"material-name\">Cement, Portland<\/td>\n <td class=\"coefficient\">10<\/td>\n <td class=\"notes\">Hardened cement paste<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n \n <div class=\"notes-section\">\n <h3>Notes:<\/h3>\n <ul>\n <li>Values are typical and can vary based on composition, processing, and temperature range<\/li>\n <li>Glass fiber reinforcement typically reduces thermal expansion by 60-75%<\/li>\n <li>Wood expansion is highly anisotropic (different along vs. across grain)<\/li>\n <li>Negative thermal expansion materials like ALLVAR shrink when heated<\/li>\n <li>Temperature range affects these values; most are for room temperature conditions<\/li>\n <li>For engineering applications, always consult specific material datasheets<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/\" title=\"\">MISUMI USA<\/a> carries a wide range of configurable parts and materials for every type of industrial manufacturing job including – <a href=\"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/vona2\/mech\/M1500000000\/M1501000000\/M1501010000\/\" title=\"\">aluminum extrusions<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/vona2\/mech\/M0100000000\/M0101000000\/\" title=\"\">linear shafts<\/a>, and more. If you have any questions about thermal expansion for your next project or current machine fix, please feel free to <a href=\"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/service\/info\/help-center\/product-support.html\" title=\"\">connect<\/a> with our product experts and engineers. And, be sure check out our other helpful resources articles on <a href=\"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/specific-heat-capacity-of-metals\/\" title=\"\">Specific Heat Capacity of Metals<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/metal-melting-points\/\" title=\"\">Melting Point of Metals<\/a>, Thermal Expansion Calculator and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Author: <a href=\"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/author\/sbredemann\/\">Scott Bredemann<\/a> | Updated: 7\/31\/2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Disclaimer:<\/strong><br>The content on this webpage is for informational purposes only. MISUMI makes no guarantees, expressed or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or validity of the information. Performance parameters, tolerances, designs, materials, or processes should not be assumed to reflect third-party suppliers\u2019 or manufacturers\u2019 deliverables within MISUMI\u2019s network. Buyers are responsible for specifying their part requirements.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When designing parts that need to maintain tight tolerances under temperature changes, understanding the linear thermal expansion of materials like aluminum and steel is essential. As materials heat up, they expand\u2014some more than others. For instance, aluminum expands nearly twice as much as steel when exposed to the same temperature change. This difference can affect everything from precision machined components […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15286"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/70"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15286"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15296,"href":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15286\/revisions\/15296"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/us.misumi-ec.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}