Testing.8 – Transient Plane Source Polymer Series Summary

Various samples of plastic polymers were tested in a Transient Plane Source (TPS) polymer series. High temperature and general plastics were tested for thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity using the Transient Plane Source instrument. This instrument has the capability of measuring absolute bulk and directional thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity for solids, liquids, pastes and powders without the need for calibration or contacts agents.

Having only one piece of sample material for each plastic made thermal properties testing an ideal job for the TPS single-sided sensor. This sensor was designed specifically for performing tests when only one sample piece is available or when testing large, hard to handle samples.

Polymers that were tested are: polyetherimide, polyphenyl sulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyvinyl chloride, fluorinated ethylene propylene, and polyamide-imide.

Table 1.  Summary table of polymers measured with corresponding bulk thermal properties values and reference thermal conductivity value.

Polyamide-imide (Torlon) was measured using the TPS anisotropic module after discovery that the measured bulk thermal conductivity value was quite high in comparison to the reference. An important consideration when comparing bulk to through-thickness values, like measured values by ASTM C177*, is the possibility that the materials may be anisotropic. It was then decided the Torlon sample should be investigated for anisotropy.

Table 2. Summary table for Torlon with corresponding through-thickness thermal properties values and reference thermal conductivity value.