Cordierite, a fascinating mineral best known for its role in heat-resistant pizza stones, has a unique ability to maintain its size even under extreme temperature changes. This property has made it indispensable in applications ranging from automotive catalytic converters to high-temperature industrial processes. Despite its widespread use, the exact reasons behind cordierite’s exceptional thermal behavior have long been a mystery.
Now, a groundbreaking study from researchers at Queen Mary University of London, published today (January 10) in Matter, offers the first in-depth explanation. This discovery could revolutionize the design and development of advanced materials.
“Modern society demands materials that exhibit minimal dimensional changes with temperature fluctuations, unlike most materials that expand and contract significantly,” explained Professor Martin Dove, lead researcher and Professor of Condensed Matter and Materials at Queen Mary University of London. “Examples of such materials include Pyrex, used for oven-safe dishes, and the glass-ceramic employed in cooking hobs.”
What sets cordierite apart is its unusual thermal expansion pattern: it shows low positive expansion along two perpendicular axes and negative expansion along the third. This rare combination gives cordierite unmatched thermal stability, making it essential for applications where precise size and shape are critical. Yet, until now, the mechanisms behind this behavior have remained unclear.
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