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It has been found that ZnO nanoparticles modify the curing behavior and crossed-line density, among other properties, in epoxy systems. This study aimed at studying the thermo-mechanical properties of ZnO nanoparticles. Thermal properties were measured using a transient plane source technique (TPS) in a thermal constants analyzer. The addition of ZnO nanoparticles caused a decrease of the thermally resistant joints. Despite high thermal conductivity of ZnO-NPs, there was high thermal resistance between ZnO-NPs and the epoxy matrix.
In this study, effective thermal conductivity of nanocomposites containing thermally conductive aluminum nitride (AIN) nanoparticles reinforced with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was investigated. Measurements were performed using a Thermal Constant Analyzer. The authors found that effective thermal conductivity of HDPE/AIN composites with 20 vol.% of AIN nanoparticles shows an enhancement by about 40%, compared to pure HDPE at 30°C.
This article investigated the effects of incorporating highly-conductive silver nanoparticles into eicosane-based phase change materials. The influence of silver nanoparticles on the thermal conductivity of the material was compared under three different solidification techniques. A Thermal Constants Analyzer measured the thermal conductivities of the samples using the transient plane source (TPS) method. The authors found that thermal conductivity increased as temperature increased, and that there was a sharp rise in thermal conductivity close to the melting point. The highest thermal conductivity values were observed using the oven solidification technique.
Passive cooling is a method of dissipating heat rejected by electronic devices, and when associated to a phase change can be very effective. Phase change materials (PCMs) are widely used for thermal storage applications due to their ability to store and release large amounts of energy. Paraffin waxes also exhibit desirable characteristics, such as high latent heat and low thermal conductivity. This article looks at four nano-PCMs, obtained by seeding various amounts of Al₂O₃ nanoparticles in two pure paraffin waxes. The thermal conductivity was experimentally measured at 24-26°C. The addition of nanoparticles led to higher latent heat, while thermal conductivity was independent.
Recently, 2-D graphene nanoparticles produced by graphite exfoliation are a promising nanofiller for enhancing the thermal conductivity of polymeric materials. Unlike one-dimensional structures of carbon nanotubes, the 2-D structure provides reinforcement of polymer nanocomposites in two directions. In this article, multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and 2-D exfoliated graphite (EG), in a tetrafunctional epoxy resin, are investigated to determine the effect on thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity measurements were carried out using a thermal analyzer, with increasing thermal conductivity in nanocomposites filled with EG.
