Question

What are materials with small coefficients of thermal expansion ( a measure of how much a material will expand or contract when heated or cooled) more resistant to thermal shock?

Answer 1

The materials with very small thermal coefficient are Cast iron, brick, Copper, Clay tile, Cement etc.

A thermal shock is said to have occured when the thermal gradient causes different part of a material to expand differently. The materials with less thermal coefficients are more resistant to thermal shocks because they are less likely to expand even if the temperature rises dramatically. These materials do not get cracks even if their stress exceeds above the stregnth of a material.