Second Order Elastic Constants, Third Order Elastic Constants, Pressure Derivatives of Second Order Elastic Constants and the Low Temperature Thermal Expansion of D-tin

The complex behaviour of metals under severe thermal and stress environments is influenced markedly by their elastic properties. Indeed the response of a material tc~ an applied stress is always determined by the elastic constants and their pressure derivatives. Furthermore, both the mechanical and thermodynamic equation;$ of state of a metal that contains dislocations require detailed knowledge of the single crystal elastic constants for calculation of elastic fiee energy density [l-41. Thermal expansion and elastic properties of tin were investigated earlier by several authors [5-81, but they present either partial results or results obtained by the applications of 'not very precise' methods of measurements. Moreover, majority of them were performed with polycrystalline samples.