• Langowski, Marcin Marek
• Kropielnicki, Michał
• Wultański, Paweł
• Kubiś, Michał
• Pietrak, Karol

Abstract

The predictions of major effective medium models and 2-dimensional numerical models implemented in Ansys Fluent were tested against the results of experimental measurements of macroscopic thermal conductivity for a polymer filled with aluminum powder. The examined composite may be regarded as a representative of materials used for heat management purposes, for example for the manufacture of electronic device housings. The study demonstrates the effect of particle shape and imperfect filler-matrix interface on the theoretical value of thermal conductivity of the considered material. It also creates the opportunity to discuss the versatility and accuracy of various methods devised to predict the effective thermal conductivity of heterogeneous materials. It was found that the effective medium approximation proposed by Duan et al., which considers the effect of the particle aspect ratio, outrivaled other predictive schemes in accuracy and cost-effectiveness. Effective medium approximations that assume spherically-shaped reinforcement as well as finite volume models implemented in Ansys Fluent, greatly underestimated the parameter in question.

Topics

• polymer
• aluminium
• composite
• thermal conductivity
• particle shape
• aluminium powder