A novel correlation for predicting the thermal conductivity of heterogeneous nanofiller polymer composites under effects of thermal contact resistance. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ngo, Ich-Long; Byon, Chan
• Is Part Of: International journal of heat and mass transfer. Volume 106(2017:Mar.)
• Page Start: 539
• Page End: 545
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Finite element method -- Heterogeneous fillers -- Nanoparticle -- Polymer composites -- Thermal conductivity -- Thermal contact resistance; Heat -- Transmission -- Periodicals; Mass transfer -- Periodicals; Chaleur -- Transmission -- Périodiques; Transfert de masse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.4022
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2016.09.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-9310

Abstract

Highlights: Effective thermal conductivity (ETC) decreases as the thermal contact resistance (TCR) of both nanoparticles increases, and its variation depends significantly on the relation between the TCRs. A novel correlation for predicting the ETC of hybrid-nanofiller polymer composites is proposed as a function of five non-dimensional parameters. Many good guidance are provided for enhancing the ETC of hybrid-nanofiller polymer composites under the effects of TCR. Abstract: Heterogeneous nanofillers have been regarded as a promising candidate for enhancing the thermal conductivity (TC) of pure polymers. In this study, the effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of polymer composites containing heterogeneous nanofiller is investigated by numerical approach. Many effects of effective parameters are examined, which are the TC ratios between the nanofillers and the matrix ( κ 1 and κ 2 ), the volume fractions ( ϕ 1 and ϕ 2 ), and the thermal contact resistance ( R c1 ∗ and R c2 ∗ ). Consequently, the ETC depends significantly on a ratio R c1 ∗ / R c2 ∗ and becomes asymmetrical when their sum R c1 ∗ + R c2 ∗ is large, suggesting that to gain higher ETC, R c1 ∗ should be less than R c2 ∗ when ϕ 1 is greater than ϕ 2 and vice versa. Based on the numerical results, a novel correlation for predicting the ETC is proposed as a function of five non-dimensional parameters: ϕ 1, ϕ 2, κ 1, κ 2, and R c ∗ . This correlation can be widely utilized for predicting the TC of heterogeneous-nanofiller polymer composites accurately and effectively.