1221 Close-packed structure and thermal transport properties of polymer composites with micro and nano fillers

Abstract

Thermal conductivity of polymer composites with micro and nano fillers has been investigated numerically and experimentally. A periodic unit cell with a random close-packed structure was created using a packing algorithm that treat the micro filler as spheres. Finite element analyses were also performed to predict the potential of nano fillers to enhance thermal conductivity and to analyze the effect of microstructure of micro fillers. Results obtained from the proposed thermal models are compared with experimental results.