Provided is a
negative thermal expansion material having excellent
negative thermal expansion properties and exhibiting a gradual volume decrease with increasing temperature compared with the conventional
zinc-
phosphorus complex oxide Zn2P2O7 in a temperature range of 100-150°C. The
negative thermal expansion material is characterized by comprising a
zinc-
phosphorus complex oxide represented by general formula (1). (1): ZnxCayMpPzOt (In the formula, M represents one or more
metal elements selected from among Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe, Cr, Mn, Ni, V, Li, Al, B, Na, K, F, Cl, Br, I, Sr, Ba, Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Y, Yb, Si, S, W, Mo, Co, Bi, Te, Pb, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Te, Ga, Ge, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, and Ho; 0<x<2.00; 0<y<2.00; 0≤p≤1.00; 1.70≤z≤2.30; and 6.00≤t≤8.00, provided that 1.70≤x+y+p≤2.30)