Category: Transient Plane Source
Author(s): A. Selvakumar, P. V. Mohanram
Keywords: Epoxy, High Speed Machine Tools, Thermal Conductivity, transient plane source method
Abstract: The effective thermal conductivity of mineral cast epoxy granite materials with varying volume fractions of epoxy content was determined. This material was being studied for application as a structural material in high speed machine tools. Optimal materials for this application would have good chemical resistance and workability, a high strength-to-weight ratio, a low thermal conductivity, excellent damping properties, and they would be easy to produce. Eight samples with volume fractions of epoxy content ranging from 10 to 24% were prepared, and the transient plane source method was used to determine the effective thermal conductivity of each sample. It was found that the thermal conductivity reduced with increasing epoxy content; however, at epoxy contents higher than 14 vol. %, the mechanical properties of the composite deteriorate. An optimal epoxy content of 12-14% was thus determined. The thermal conductivity of the composite samples was found to be approximately 25 times smaller than that of the cast iron material that has traditionally been used in high speed machine tools.
Reference: Materials Research, 16, 2 (2013) 315-321
DOI: 10.1590/S1516-14392012005000184