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Invar, also known generically as FeNi36 ( 64FeNi in the US), is a nickel–iron alloy notable for its uniquely low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE or α). The name Invar comes from the word invariable, referring to its relative lack of expansion or contraction with temperature changes, and is a registered trademark of ArcelorMittal.US Trademark #63970
The discovery of the alloy was made in 1895 by Swiss physicist Charles Édouard Guillaume for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1920. It enabled improvements in scientific instruments.
Common grades of Invar have a coefficient of thermal expansion (denoted α, and measured between 20 °C and 100 °C) of about 1.2 × 10−6 Kelvin−1 (), while ordinary steels have values of around 11–15 ppm/°C. Extra-pure grades (<0.1% Cobalt) can readily produce values as low as 0.62–0.65 ppm/°C. Some formulations display negative thermal expansion (NTE) characteristics. Though it displays high dimensional stability over a range of temperatures, it does have a propensity to creep.
Historically, the paramagnetic properties of certain iron-nickel alloys were first identified as a unique characteristic. These alloys exhibit a coexistence of two types of structures, whose proportions vary depending on temperature. One of these structures is characterized by a high magnetic moment (ranging from ) and a high lattice parameter, adhering to Hund's rules. The other structure, in contrast, has a low magnetic moment (ranging from ) and a low lattice parameter. When exposed to a variable magnetic field, this dual-structure nature induces dimensional changes in the alloy. This phenomenon is particularly significant in the case of Invar alloys, which are renowned for their exceptional dimensional stability over a wide range of temperatures. However, to maintain this stability, it is crucial to avoid exposing the material to magnetic fields, as such exposure can disrupt the delicate balance between the two structures and lead to undesirable dimensional variations.
In recent years, advancements in material science have led to the development of non-ferromagnetic Invar alloys. These innovative materials have opened up new possibilities for applications in cutting-edge fields such as the semiconductor industry and aerospace engineering. (2024). 9781510675230 ISBN 9781510675230 (2024). 9781510681552 ISBN 9781510681552 By eliminating the influence of magnetic fields on dimensional stability, non-ferromagnetic Invar alloys have the potential to significantly enhance the performance of optical instruments and other precision devices.
One of its first applications was in watch and pendulum rods for precision . At the time it was invented, the pendulum clock was the world's most precise timekeeper, and the limit to timekeeping accuracy was due to thermal variations in length of clock pendulums. The Riefler regulator clock developed in 1898 by Clemens Riefler, the first clock to use an Invar pendulum, had an accuracy of 10 milliseconds per day, and served as the primary time standard in naval observatories and for national time services until the 1930s.
In Surveying, when first-order (high-precision) elevation leveling is to be performed, the level staff (leveling rod) used is made of Invar, instead of wood, fiberglass, or other metals. (2025). 9783030900557, Springer International Publishing. ISBN 9783030900557 Invar struts were used in some pistons to limit their thermal expansion inside their cylinders. In the manufacture of large composite material structures for aerospace carbon fibre , Invar is used to facilitate the manufacture of parts to extremely tight tolerances. Tooling to mould and die for! , Mike Richardson, Aerospace Manufacturing, 6 April 2018, accessed 10 April 2018.
In the astronomical field, Invar is used as the structural components that support dimension-sensitive optics of astronomical telescopes. (2025). 9781510636897 ISBN 9781510636897 Superior dimensional stability of Invar allows the astronomical telescopes to significantly improve the observation precision and accuracy.
All the iron-rich face-centered cubic Fe–Ni alloys show Invar anomalies in their measured thermal and magnetic properties that evolve continuously in intensity with varying alloy composition. Scientists had once proposed that Invar's behavior was a direct consequence of a high-magnetic-moment to low-magnetic-moment transition occurring in the face centered cubic Fe–Ni series (and that gives rise to the mineral antitaenite); however, this theory was proven incorrect. Instead, it appears that the low-moment/high-moment transition is preceded by a high-magnetic-moment frustrated ferromagnetic state in which the Fe–Fe magnetic exchange bonds have a large magneto-volume effect of the right sign and magnitude to create the observed thermal expansion anomaly.
/ref> It was shown that all individual FM and SFCs have positive thermal expansion, and the negative thermal expansion originates from the increasing populations of SFCs with smaller volumes than that of FM.
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