Thermal Conduction Mechanism in Nanofluids, Solid Composites and Liquid Mixtures

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Eapen
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Lower Bound ◽  
Effective Medium Theory ◽  
Mean Field ◽  
Liquid Mixtures ◽  
Conduction Path ◽  
Medium Theory ◽  
Base Medium ◽  
Dispersed Medium ◽  
Solid Composites

Analysis of Maxwell’s mean-field (or effective-medium) theory reveals two limiting bounds — an upper and a lower bound — for thermal conductivity in binary composite systems. The lower and the upper bounds correspond to continuous conduction paths through the base medium and the dispersed medium, respectively (assuming that the dispersed medium has a higher thermal conductivity). Extensive comparisons to experimental data show that most of the reported thermal conductivity data on nanofluids, solid composites and liquid mixtures fall between the limiting Maxwell bounds. For a nanofluid, this indicates that the effective thermal conductivity is largely dependent on the geometrical configuration and the connectivity of the dispersed nanoparticle phase. The lower bound corresponds to a colloidal configuration of well-dispersed nanoparticles with the continuous conduction path provided by the base medium while the upper bound represents a linear, fractal-like nanoparticle arrangement with the continuous conduction path provided by the nanoparticles.

scholarly journals Effect of Alignment on Enhancement of Thermal Conductivity of Polyethylene–Graphene Nanocomposites and Comparison with Effective Medium Theory

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1291
Author(s):  
Fatema Tarannum ◽  
Rajmohan Muthaiah ◽  
Roshan Sameer Annam ◽  
Tingting Gu ◽  
Jivtesh Garg
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Thermal Management ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Effective Medium Theory ◽  
Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy ◽  
Effective Medium ◽  
Medium Theory ◽  
K Value ◽  
Graphene Nanocomposites ◽  
Scanning Confocal Microscopy

Thermal conductivity (k) of polymers is usually limited to low values of ~0.5 Wm−1K−1 in comparison to metals (>20 Wm−1K−1). The goal of this work is to enhance thermal conductivity (k) of polyethylene–graphene nanocomposites through simultaneous alignment of polyethylene (PE) lamellae and graphene nanoplatelets (GnP). Alignment is achieved through the application of strain. Measured values are compared with predictions from effective medium theory. A twin conical screw micro compounder is used to prepare polyethylene–graphene nanoplatelet (PE-GnP) composites. Enhancement in k value is studied for two different compositions with GnP content of 9 wt% and 13 wt% and for applied strains ranging from 0% to 300%. Aligned PE-GnP composites with 13 wt% GnP displays ~1000% enhancement in k at an applied strain of 300%, relative to k of pristine unstrained polymer. Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSCM) is used to quantitatively characterize the alignment of GnP flakes in strained composites; this measured orientation is used as an input for effective medium predictions. These results have important implications for thermal management applications.

On the Effective Thermal Conductivity of Nanofluids With Fractal Aggregation

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. G. Subramaniam
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Effective Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Effective Medium Theory ◽  
Functionally Graded ◽  
Fractal Aggregates ◽  
Medium Theory ◽  
Analytical Approximations ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Dispersing Medium ◽  
Dilute Limit

A generalized effective medium theory (EMT) is proposed to account for the fractal structure of the dispersed phase in a dispersing medium under the dilute limit. The thermal conductivity of nanofluids with fractal aggregates is studied using the proposed model. Fractal aggregates are considered as functionally graded spherical inclusions and its effective thermal conductivity is derived as a function of its fractal dimension. The results are studied for self-consistency and accuracy within the limitations of the analytical approximations used.

Effect of Particle Size and Aggregation on Thermal Conductivity of Metal-Polymer Nanocomposite

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangyu Li ◽  
Wonjun Park ◽  
Yong P. Chen ◽  
Xiulin Ruan
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Effective Medium Theory ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Polymer Nanocomposite ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Effective Medium ◽  
Metal Nanoparticle ◽  
Local Concentration ◽  
Medium Theory ◽  
Aggregation Effect

Metal nanoparticle has been a promising option for fillers in thermal interface materials due to its low cost and ease of fabrication. However, nanoparticle aggregation effect is not well understood because of its complexity. Theoretical models, like effective medium approximation model, barely cover aggregation effect. In this work, we have fabricated nickel-epoxy nanocomposites and observed higher thermal conductivity than effective medium theory predicts. Smaller particles are also found to show higher thermal conductivity, contrary to classical models indicate. A two-level EMA model is developed to account for aggregation effect and to explain the size-dependent enhancement of thermal conductivity by introducing local concentration in aggregation structures.

An Effective Unit Cell Approach to Compute the Thermal Conductivity of Composites With Cylindrical Particles

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (6) ◽  
pp. 553-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Ganapathy ◽  
Kulwinder Singh ◽  
Patrick E. Phelan ◽  
Ravi Prasher
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Effective Medium Theory ◽  
Effective Medium ◽  
Unit Cell ◽  
Spherical Particles ◽  
Medium Theory ◽  
Volume Fractions ◽  
Curvature Effects ◽  
Finite Differences Method ◽  
Cylindrical Particles

This paper introduces a novel method, combining effective medium theory and the finite differences method, to model the effective thermal conductivity of cylindrical-particle-laden composite materials. Typically the curvature effects of cylindrical or spherical particles are ignored while calculating the thermal conductivity of composites containing such particles through numerical techniques, such that the particles are modeled as cuboids or cubes. An alternative approach to mesh the particles into small volumes is just about impossible, as it leads to highly intensive computations to get accurate results. On the other hand, effective medium theory takes the effect of curvature into account, but cannot be used at high volume fractions because it does not take into account the effects of percolation. In this paper, a novel model is proposed where the cylindrical particles are still treated as squares (cuboids), but to capture the effect of curvature, an effective conductivity is assigned to the particles by using the effective medium approach. The authors call this the effective unit cell approach. Results from this model for different volume fractions, on average, have been found to lie within ±5% of experimental thermal conductivity data.

Effective Thermal Conductivity of MoSi2/SiC Composites

2005 ◽  
Vol 492-493 ◽  
pp. 551-554
Author(s):  
Guang Zhao Bai ◽  
Wan Jiang ◽  
G. Wang ◽  
Li Dong Chen ◽  
X. Shi
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Effective Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Effective Medium Theory ◽  
Thermal Conductance ◽  
Inclusion Size ◽  
Laser Flash ◽  
Flash Method ◽  
Medium Theory ◽  
Interfacial Thermal Conductance ◽  
Sic Composites

Thermal conductivity of as-prepared MoSi2/SiC composites has been determined by Laser Flash method. Interfacial thermal conductance for composites with 100nm SiC and with 0.5µm has been determined by using effective medium theory. The results of interfacial thermal conductance exhibit that both the inclusion size and the clustering of the inclusions play an important role in determining composite thermal conductivity.

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