Scientists have discovered a new substance that contradicts the fundamental laws of thermodynamics

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Scientists from the University of Chicago School of Molecular Engineering and the University of California, San Diego, have discovered a new class of matter that exhibits behavior that defies the fundamental laws of thermodynamics. The newly discovered metastable substances shrink in volume when heated and expand under high pressure.

"When you heat materials, you expect them to expand. However, in this study, we observed the opposite; we developed a structure that shrinks when heated," said Prof. Dr. Shirley Meng from the University of Chicago's School of Molecular Engineering, adding that the properties of these materials can be adjusted with redox chemistry and that this could open a new door in energy technologies.

CHEMICAL BEHAVIORS OF THE NEW MATTER WILL BE EXAMINED

Dr. Minghao Zhang, a member of the research team, said that this new class of materials can be tuned to exhibit zero thermal expansion, adding, "Volume changes due to heat in different building materials used in each building can cause serious problems. However, such problems can be prevented with these materials."

The researchers aim to further study the chemical behavior of the new material and make it applicable in many areas, from energy storage systems to space technologies.