Thermal Conductivity of MWNT-Epoxy Composites by Transient Thermoreflectance

摘要

Multiwall nanotube composites with epoxy matrix were synthesized by sonication. Thermal conductivity of the composite samples was determined by a transient thermoreflectance method using indium film as a transducer. The thermal conductivity normal to the surface followed percolation behavior. The presence of higher mass fraction of MWNTs near the surface, and the higher purity and the larger aspect ratio of MWNTs were found to be responsible for significant improvement in thermal conductivity of the composites. The barrier to conduction was found to be the width of the epoxy film separating the MWNTs. Modeling analysis showed that the interface thermal conductance between MWNTs is fairly large and is not a limiting factor for the improvement in the thermal conductivity.