Yes, there are substances that exhibit the phenomenon of negative thermal expansion (NTE), where they contract or shrink when heated, and expand when cooled. This behavior is opposite to the usual thermal expansion observed in most materials. NTE materials have unique crystal structures or molecular arrangements that result in this counterintuitive response to temperature changes.
One example of a substance with NTE is certain types of cubic zirconium tungstate (ZrW2O8). When heated, this material contracts along one axis and expands along the other two axes. Another example is a class of materials known as "framework materials," which include compounds like certain metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs). These materials can exhibit NTE behavior depending on their structure and composition.
It's important to note that the NTE effect is not as commonly observed as regular thermal expansion, and materials with this property tend to be specific and often engineered for particular applications.