Twin Crystal Induced near Zero Thermal Expansion in SnO2 Nanowires

Knowledge of controllable thermal expansion is a fundamental issue in the field of materials science and engineering. Direct blocking of the thermal expansions in positive thermal expansion materials is a challenging but fascinating task. Here we report a near zero thermal expansion (ZTE) of SnO2 achieved from twin crystal nanowires, which is highly correlated to the twin boundaries. Local structural evolutions followed by pair distribution function revealed a remarkable thermal local distortion along the twin boundary. Lattice dynamics investigated by Raman scattering evidenced the hardening of phonon frequency induced by the twin crystal compressing, giving rise to the ZTE of SnO2 nanowires. Further DFT calculation of Gruneisen parameters confirms the key role of compressive stress on ZTE. Our results provide an insight into the thermal expansion behavior regarding to twin crystal boundaries, which could be beneficial to the applications.