invar

/in'vɑ:/

Thân thiện

A scientist uses an invar measuring tape to check the length of a metal bar.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A specific iron-nickel alloy: "Invar" is a trademarked name for an alloy composed primarily of iron and nickel, known for its exceptionally low coefficient of thermal expansion. This means it expands and contracts very little with changes in temperature.

Usage

• "Invar" is used as a proper noun (often capitalized) to refer to this specific material. It is primarily a technical term used in engineering, manufacturing, and scientific instrument design.
• Example:

Advanced Usage

• "Invar effect": Refers to the property of minimal thermal expansion characteristic of this alloy family.
  • The Invar effect is crucial for applications requiring high dimensional stability.

Variants and Related Words

• Super Invar: An advanced variant of the alloy containing additional elements like cobalt for even lower thermal expansion.
• Invar 36: A common standardized grade of the alloy, containing approximately 36% nickel.

Synonyms

• Low-expansion alloy: A descriptive term for materials, including Invar, with a very low coefficient of thermal expansion.
• FeNi36: A chemical designation for the standard Invar composition.

Notes

• "Invar" is a registered trademark, but it is often used generically to describe iron-nickel alloys with similar low-expansion properties. Its unique characteristic makes it indispensable in precision devices like pendulums, laser components, and large-scale scientific frameworks where even tiny dimensional changes due to temperature are unacceptable.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an alloy of iron and nickel having a low coefficient of thermal expansion; used in tuning forks and measuring tapes and other instruments

Từ đồng nghĩa

• invar