Anisotropic thermal expansion of LiB₃O₅

The anisotropic thermal expansion of LiB₃O₅ has been studied along the principal crystallographic directions over the temperature range of 17 to 790 degrees C by means of high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction. This orthorhombic crystal exhibits strongly anisotropic expansion with coefficients of 108.2*10^-6 K^-1 for (100), 33.6*10^-6 K^-1 for (010) and -88.0*10^-6 K^-1 for (001) at 50 degrees C. The coefficients tend to zero when the temperature approaches the crystal's peritectic reaction point.