Engineering and Technology Journal

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to study the thermal conductivity of composite
materials and the parameters affecting it, then to determining the validity of the best
theoretical model matching with experimental results and to predict thermal
conductivity of any composite materials with different particle size.
Alumina& aluminum filled thermoset polyester composites are investigated in this
study, and their thermal conductivity will be the central focus. Aluminum particle,
alumina particle and aluminum fiber (5wt % to 45wt %) were added to polyester
matrixes. It was found that both fillers and fiber positively effect on the thermal
conductivity of the composite. By using visual basic program, the results show there
are three different theoretical models (Maxwell Equation, Lord Rayleigh Equation
&Lewis and Nielsen Equation) valid to predict the effective thermal conductivity for
reinforced the polyester by Al and Al2O3 powder until 35wt% and 45wt% respectively.
In addition, the rule of mixture model is good to predict the effective thermal
conductivity (for aluminum fiber parallel with polyester matrix).