Thermal Expansion - Linear Expansion Coefficients
When an object is heated or cooled, its length change by an amount proportional to the original length and the change in temperature.
Thermal expansion coefficients for some common materials:
| Product | Linear Temperature Expansion Coefficient - α - (10-6 m/(m °C)) |
|---|---|
| ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) thermoplastic | 72 - 108 |
| ABS -glass fiber-reinforced | 31 |
| Acetal - glass fiber-reinforced | 39 |
| Acetals | 85 - 110 |
| Acrylic | 68 - 75 |
| ALLVAR Alloy 30 (negative thermal expansion) | -30 |
| Alumina (aluminium oxide, Al2O3) | 8.1 |
| Aluminum | 21 - 24 |
| Aluminum nitride | 5.3 |
| Amber | 50 - 60 |
| Antimonial lead (hard lead) | 26.5 |
| Antimony | 9 - 11 |
| Arsenic | 4.7 |
| Bakelite, bleached | 22 |
| Barium | 20.6 |
| Barium ferrite | 10 |
| Benzocyclobutene | 42 |
| Beryllium | 12 |
| Bismuth | 13 - 13.5 |
| Brass | 18 - 19 |
| Brick masonry | 5 |
| Bronze | 17.5 - 18 |
| Cadmium | 30 |
| Calcium | 22.3 |
| Caoutchouc | 66 - 69 |
| Cast Iron Gray | 10.8 |
| Celluloid | 100 |
| Cellulose acetate (CA) | 130 |
| Cellulose acetate butynate (CAB) | 96 - 171 |
| Cellulose nitrate (CN) | 80 - 120 |
| Cement, Portland | 11 |
| Cerium | 5.2 |
| Chlorinated polyether | 80 |
| Chlorinated polyvinylchloride (CPVC) | 63 - 66 |
| Chromium | 6 - 7 |
| Clay tile structure | 5.9 |
| Cobalt | 12 |
| Concrete | 13 - 14 |
| Concrete structure | 9.8 |
| Constantan | 15.2 - 18.8 |
| Copper | 16 - 16.7 |
| Copper, Beryllium 25 | 17.8 |
| Corundum, sintered | 6.5 |
| Cupronickel 30% (constantan) | 16.2 |
| Diamond (Carbon) | 1.1 - 1.3 |
| Duralumin | 23 |
| Dysprosium | 9.9 |
| Ebonite | 70 |
| Epoxy - glass fiber reinforced | 36 |
| Epoxy, cast resins & compounds, unfilled | 45 - 65 |
| Erbium | 12.2 |
| Ethylene ethyl acrylate (EEA) | 205 |
| Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) | 180 |
| Europium | 35 |
| Fluoroethylene propylene (FEP) | 135 |
| Fluorspar, CaF2 | 19.5 |
| Gadolinium | 9 |
| German silver | 18.4 |
| Germanium | 6.1 |
| Glass, hard | 5.9 |
| Glass, plate | 9.0 |
| Glass, Pyrex | 4.0 |
| Gold | 14.2 |
| Gold - copper | 15.5 |
| Gold - platinum | 15.2 |
| Granite | 7.9 - 8.4 |
| Graphite, pure (Carbon) | 4 -8 |
| Gunmetal | 18 |
| Gutta percha | 198 |
| Hafnium | 5.9 |
| Hard alloy K20 | 6 |
| Hastelloy C | 11.3 |
| Holmium | 11.2 |
| Ice, 0oC water | 51 |
| Inconel | 11.5 - 12.6 |
| Indium | 33 |
| Invar | 1.5 |
| Iridium | 6.4 |
| Iron, cast | 10.4 - 11 |
| Iron, forged | 11.3 |
| Iron, pure | 12.0 |
| Kapton | 20 |
| Lanthanum | 12.1 |
| Lead | 29 |
| Limestone | 8 |
| Lithium | 46 |
| Lutetium | 9.9 |
| Macor | 9.3 |
| Magnalium | 23.8 |
| Magnesium | 25 - 26.9 |
| Magnesium alloy AZ31B | 26 |
| Manganese | 22 |
| Manganin | 18.1 |
| Marble | 5.5 - 14.1 |
| Masonry, brick | 4.7 - 9.0 |
| Mercury | 61 |
| Mica | 3 |
| Molybdenum | 5 |
| Monel metal | 13.5 |
| Mortar | 7.3 - 13.5 |
| Neodymium | 9.6 |
| Nickel | 13.0 |
| Niobium (Columbium) | 7 |
| Nylon, general purpose | 50 - 90 |
| Nylon, glass fiber reinforced | 23 |
| Nylon, Type 11, molding and extruding compound | 100 |
| Nylon, Type 12, molding and extruding compound | 80.5 |
| Nylon, Type 6, cast | 85 |
| Nylon, Type 6/6, molding compound | 80 |
| Oak, perpendicular to the grain | 54 |
| Osmium | 5 - 6 |
| Palladium | 11.8 |
| Paraffin | 106 - 480 |
| Phenolic resin without fillers | 60 - 80 |
| Phosphor bronze | 16.7 |
| Plaster | 17 |
| Plastics | 40 - 120 |
| Platinum | 9 |
| Plutonium | 47 - 54 |
| Polyacrylonitrile | 70 |
| Polyallomer | 92 |
| Polyamide (PA) | 110 |
| Polybutylene (PB) | 130 - 139 |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | 65 - 70 |
| Polycarbonate - glass fiber-reinforced | 21.5 |
| Polyester | 124 |
| Polyester - glass fiber-reinforced | 25 |
| Polyethylene (PE) | 108 - 200 |
| Polyethylene (PE) - High Molecular Weight | 108 |
| Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) | 59.4 |
| Polyphenylene | 54 |
| Polyphenylene - glass fiber-reinforced | 36 |
| Polypropylene (PP), unfilled | 72 - 90 |
| Polypropylene - glass fiber-reinforced | 32 |
| Polystyrene (PS) | 70 |
| Polysulfone (PSO) | 55 - 60 |
| Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) | 112 - 135 |
| Polyurethane (PUR), rigid | 57.6 |
| Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) | 54 - 110 |
| Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) | 128 - 140 |
| Porcelain, Industrial | 4 |
| Potassium | 83 |
| Praseodymium | 6.7 |
| Promethium | 11 |
| Quartz, fused | 0.55 |
| Quartz, mineral | 8 - 14 |
| Rhenium | 6.7 |
| Rhodium | 8 |
| Rock salt | 40.4 |
| Rubber, hard | 80 |
| Ruthenium | 9.1 |
| Samarium | 12.7 |
| Sandstone | 11.6 |
| Sapphire | 5.3 |
| Scandium | 10.2 |
| Selenium | 37 |
| Silicon | 3 - 5 |
| Silicon Carbide | 2.77 |
| Silver | 19 - 19.7 |
| Sitall | 0.15 |
| Slate | 10 |
| Sodium | 70 |
| Solder lead - tin, 50% - 50% | 25 |
| Speculum metal | 19.3 |
| Steatite | 8.5 |
| Steel | 10.8 - 12.5 |
| Steel Stainless Austenitic (304) | 17.3 |
| Steel Stainless Austenitic (310) | 14.4 |
| Steel Stainless Austenitic (316) | 16.0 |
| Steel Stainless Ferritic (410) | 9.9 |
| Strontium | 22.5 |
| Tantalum | 6.5 |
| Tellurium | 36.9 |
| Terbium | 10.3 |
| Terne | 11.6 |
| Thallium | 29.9 |
| Thorium | 12 |
| Thulium | 13.3 |
| Tin | 20 - 23 |
| Titanium | 8.5 - 9 |
| Topas | 5 - 8 |
| Tungsten | 4.5 |
| Uranium | 13.4 |
| Vanadium | 8 |
| Vinyl Ester | 16 - 22 |
| Vulcanite | 63.6 |
| Wax | 2 - 15 |
| Wedgwood ware | 8.9 |
| Wood, across (perpendicular) to grain | 30 |
| Wood, fir | 3.7 |
| Wood, parallel to grain | 3 |
| Wood, pine | 5 |
| Ytterbium | 26.3 |
| Yttrium | 10.6 |
| Zinc | 30 - 35 |
| Zirconium | 5.7 |
- 10-6 m/moC = 1 μm/moC
- m/m = meter per meter, in/in = inches per inches
Most values for temperature 25 oC (77 oF). The span in the values may be caused by the variation in the materials themselves - or by the variation in the sources used.
- tK = tC + 273.16
- tR = tF + 459.67
- 1 in (inch) = 25.4 mm
- 1 ft (foot) = 0.3048 m
Related Topics
• Material Properties
Properties of gases, fluids and solids. Densities, specific heats, viscosities and more.
• Temperature Expansion
Thermal expansion and expansion coefficients. Expansion pipes and tubes made of stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, plastics and more.
• Thermodynamics
Work, heat and energy systems.
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