Numerical Analysis of the Transverse Thermal Conductivity of Composites With Imperfect Interfaces

Abstract

Estimation of the transverse thermal conductivity of continuous fiber reinforced composites containing a random fiber distribution with imperfect interfaces was performed using finite element analysis. FEA results were compared with the classical solution of Hasselman and Johnson to determine limits of applicability. The results show that the Hasselman and Johnson model predicts the effective thermal conductivity within 3 percent of the numerical estimates for interfacial conductance values of 1×10−2−1×103W/m2K, fiber-matrix conductivity ratios between 1 and 100, and fiber volume fractions up to 50 percent which are properties typical of ceramic composites. The results show that the applicability of the classical dilute concentration model can not be determined by constituent volume fraction, but by the degree of interaction between the microstructural heterogeneities.