Determination Method of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of Cordierite

Cordierite ceramics were prepared by using talc, bauxite and kaolin clay as starting materials. According to the detected resuh of XRD step-scanning from 25° to 35° by a high temperature X-ray diffractometer, 20 and d values of five peaks of cordierite crystal were ascer- rained. Then the least squares technique was used to cal- culate the crystal parameters ： at 25 ℃ , a = b = O. 981 8 nm, c =0. 927 4 nm, V=O. 774 3 nm3 ; at 600 ℃ , a =b =O. 982 0 nm, c=0.9252 nm, V=O. 773 5 nm3. The crystal volumetric coefficient of thermal expansion （CTE） and linear CTE along a and c axes were calcu- lated, αv = 2. 33 × 10-6℃-1, αa = αb, = 3. 27 × 10-6℃ -1 , αc = -4.19 ×10-6℃ -1. The average CTE of cordierite crystal is as low as O. 78 × 10-6℃ -1