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Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Fabrication of Carbon-Based Ionic Electromechanically Active Soft Actuators
Published on: April 25, 2020
Guest-Induced Large and Tunable Negative Thermal Expansion in Soft Microporous Carbon
Emmanuel U Osuagwu1,2, Dalton Compton2, Erin E Taylor2
1Materials Science Program, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, United States.
Zeolite-templated carbon (ZTC) exhibits tunable negative thermal expansion (NTE) when adsorbing guests like CO2. This study reveals a record isotropic NTE coefficient by combining two independently expanding phases.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemistry
- Physics
Background:
- Negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials are rare and counterintuitive.
- Research often focuses on NTE discovery and mechanisms, with less on secondary phase influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the influence of adsorbed guests on the thermal expansion of zeolite-templated carbon (ZTC).
- Explore tunable NTE mechanisms in porous materials.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of zeolite-templated carbon (ZTC).
- Measurement of thermal expansion in the presence of adsorbed CO2 gas.
- Analysis of guest-induced NTE mechanisms.
Main Results:
- ZTC exhibits large and tunable thermal expansion with adsorbed guests.
- A record isotropic NTE coefficient of -8.4 × 10^-4 K^-1 was observed for ZTC with CO2 between 200-220 K.
- The NTE arises from the interaction of two independently expanding phases.
Conclusions:
- Adsorbed guests can induce significant and tunable NTE in ZTC.
- The interaction between guest molecules and the ZTC framework provides a novel mechanism for controlling thermal expansion.
- This work opens new avenues for designing materials with tailored thermal properties.
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