Analytical and experimental investigation of particulate filled polymer composites with enhanced thermal conductivity

Abstract

The present study aims at investigating an opportunity of enhancing heat conduction ability of a typical particulate filled polymer composite. A mathematical correlation for evaluating the effective thermal conductivity (<i>k_eff</i>) of polymer composites filled with elliptical shape particles is developed. To validate this model, high thermal conductivity aluminium powders were incorporated in the epoxy matrix for the first set of polymer composites whereas, for the second set, an industrial waste, i.e., red mud is taken as a filler material. Simple hand lay-up technique is used for fabrication purpose.Thermal conductivities of these fabricated composite samples are determined experimentally using the Unitherm™ Model 2022 tester which works on the principle of double guarded heat flow meter method according to ASTM E1530 standard. Measured values are then compared with the values obtained from the proposed mathematical model and also with some already existing correlation. It has been observed that the results obtained from the proposed model fits well with the experimental data. An improvement of about 260% in the value of <i>k_eff</i> is recorded with addition of 25 vol% of aluminium filler in epoxy resin whereas with similar loading of red mud, it is noticed that <i>k_eff</i> increases by about 200%. Apart from this thermal investigation, physical properties like density and void content along with morphological behaviour of the fabricated composites are also reported.