* Astronomy

Caltech Engineers Reveal How Scandium Trifluoride Contracts with Heat

They shrink when you heat 'em. Most materials expand when heated, but a few contract. Now engineers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have figured out how one of these curious materials, scandium trifluoride (ScF3), does the trick - a finding, they say, that will lead to a deeper understanding of all kinds of materials.
The researchers, led by graduate student Chen Li, published their results in the November 4 issue of Physical Review Letters (PRL).
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