bimetal

[ bahy-met-l ]

noun

1. a material made by the bonding of two sheets or strips of different metals, each metal having a different coefficient of thermal expansion.

adjective

1. bimetallic.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bimetal¹

1920–25; bi- ¹ + metal, or as back formation from bimetallic

Example Sentences

Wine, liquor, juices and other beverages packaged in plastic, aluminum or bimetal containers have a 5 cent CRV if under 24 ounces and a 10 cent value if 24 ounces and over.

From Los Angeles Times

It had a thermostat made of bimetal, which was two different metals attached to each other.

From Literature

Greg Mathy's bimetal flowers react to the temperature around them — expanding in response to heat and contracting when things cool down — and they do so completely passively, without the need for any mechanical aid or power.

From The Verge

Because one of the metals has a significantly higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the other, applying heat to the bimetal strip leads to large deformations in its shape.

From The Verge

Being able to predict and harness those deformations is what's allowed Mathy to create his neatly simple bimetal flowers.

From The Verge