TY - JOUR
T1 - Multiscale modeling and analysis of synergistic reduction of the thermal resistance of polymer composites via hybrid carbon nanotube/graphene nanoplatelet
AU - Sheng, Yunhe
AU - Li, Chao
AU - Feng, Chuang
AU - Su, Yu
AU - Xi, Shangbin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS
PY - 2025/4
Y1 - 2025/4
N2 - Synergistic effect has been experimentally demonstrated as a key phenomenon to reduce the thermal resistance and enhance thermal conductivity of polymer composites with nanofiller hybrids including carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene nanoplatelet (GNP). But there is a lack of theory that can satisfactorily explain the related mechanisms. We present a study based on the effective medium theory to describe the correlation between the thermal conductivity of a composite and the specific information of its nanofiller hybrids, i.e., their aspect ratios, volume fractions, and various thermal resistance. A new model is established and is validated by experimental data. It helps to unveil the mechanisms of the observed synergistic effect of the CNT/GNP thermal networks. It is shown that the prominent enhancement in the effective thermal conductivity is largely due to the low CNT–GNP interfacial thermal resistance Rbdc−g, which is one magnitude lower than CNT–CNT or GNP–GNP resistance (Rbdc−c, Rbdg−g) in the hybrid thermal networks. Based on the developed model, one is able to achieve the highest thermal-conductivity enhancement for the composite by optimizing the CNT/GNP volume ratio. The thermal conductivity enhancement of the composite is further investigated by considering the spatial orientation and alignment arrangement of the nanofiller hybrids.
AB - Synergistic effect has been experimentally demonstrated as a key phenomenon to reduce the thermal resistance and enhance thermal conductivity of polymer composites with nanofiller hybrids including carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene nanoplatelet (GNP). But there is a lack of theory that can satisfactorily explain the related mechanisms. We present a study based on the effective medium theory to describe the correlation between the thermal conductivity of a composite and the specific information of its nanofiller hybrids, i.e., their aspect ratios, volume fractions, and various thermal resistance. A new model is established and is validated by experimental data. It helps to unveil the mechanisms of the observed synergistic effect of the CNT/GNP thermal networks. It is shown that the prominent enhancement in the effective thermal conductivity is largely due to the low CNT–GNP interfacial thermal resistance Rbdc−g, which is one magnitude lower than CNT–CNT or GNP–GNP resistance (Rbdc−c, Rbdg−g) in the hybrid thermal networks. Based on the developed model, one is able to achieve the highest thermal-conductivity enhancement for the composite by optimizing the CNT/GNP volume ratio. The thermal conductivity enhancement of the composite is further investigated by considering the spatial orientation and alignment arrangement of the nanofiller hybrids.
KW - Carbon nanotube
KW - Effective medium theory
KW - Graphene
KW - Hybrid composite
KW - Thermal conductivity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85213270593&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2024.109672
DO - 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2024.109672
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85213270593
SN - 1290-0729
VL - 210
JO - International Journal of Thermal Sciences
JF - International Journal of Thermal Sciences
M1 - 109672
ER -