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The authors prepared PMMA/clay composites by the in situ bulk polymerization method. The prepared composites were characterized by FT-IR, WAXRD, SEM, TEM, DMA and the Transient Plane Source, TPS technique to measure thermal conductivity. Not only were the thermal properties of the composites studied, but physical and chemical properties as well.
The thermal conductivity and diffusivity of a series of three-phase styrene butadiene composites were investigated using the Transient Plane Source, TPS technique. Both of the series contained a variable amount of natural rubber, as well as variable amounts of silica and clay. The thermal properties decreased sharply at 10 phr filling, but increased subsequently after that. It was determined that silica resulted in better (higher) thermal properties as compared to clay.
Oil-palm fiber reinforced phenolformaldehyde composites were prepared and then tested for their thermal properties. Thermal conductivity and diffusivity were measured using the Transient Plane Source, TPS technique. The composites were then treated using different methods (alkali, silane and acetic acid treatments) and the thermal conductivity and diffusivity were measured again to see how the treatment affected the thermal properties of the composite. It was found that thermal conductivity increased varying amounts depending on the treatment used.
Copper powder was used a filler and added to a polyamide matrix in order to generate copper reinforced polyamide composites. The copper powder came in three different forms: short fibers, plates and spheres. The short fibers were added to the polyamide matrix at a vol.% up to 30, and the plates and spheres up to 60 vol.%. Thermal conductivity was measured and it was found that at filler amounts below 10 vol.% the three different copper fillers produced similar experimental results. At filler amounts above 10 vol.% the short fiber copper particles led to a rapid increase in thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity of the composite is proportional to filler shape, size and thermal conductivity and volume fraction.
