High-temperature thermal expansion and stability of V2AlC up to 950 degrees C

Herein, we report on the thermal expansion and stability of V 2AlC in the 25°-950°C temperature range. The sample was heated in an Argon atmosphere in a quartz capillary and the thermal expansion was measured using a X-ray synchrotron radiation source. Up to the maximum temperature explored, there were no signs of decomposition or phase transitions. The temperature variation of volumetric thermal expansion is given by αv=2.53(5) × 10-5+5.75(3) × 10 -9T °C-1. At ≈9.40 × 10-6 °C-1, the thermal expansions along both the a and c lattice directions are quite comparable; in other words, there is little thermal expansion anisotropy in V2AlC.