Polymer matrix composites, filled thermal

Polymer-matrix composites have been used as one of the most common packaging materials for encapsulating a variety of electronic components for dissipating heat [14]. In this section, 3D AlN nanowhiskers with brush-hke structure were filled into the polymer matrix to enhance its thermal conductivity. The 3D brush-hke AlN fiUers were fabricated by CS process [7a], as iUustrated in Section 3.2. The use of AlN as a filler candidate to enhance the thermal conductivity of the polymer is attributed to its attractive properties such as high thermal conductivity, high electrical resistivity, and good chemical stabihty with polymers [1]. To explore the promoting effect of the 3D brush-hke AIN fillers on thermal conductivity, three types of AIN fillers with different brush-hke filler aspect ratio were added into polymer matrix to fabricate a series of composites and their thermal conductivities were measured. The results demonstrated that the 3D brush-hke AIN nanowhiskers fillers can effectively enhance the thermal conductivity of the polymer composite. 

The thermal characteristics of NR-metal composites are close to the properties of metals, whereas the mechanical properties and the processing methods are typical of polymers.Thermally conducting, but electrically insulating, polymer-matrix composites are increasingly important for electronic packaging because the heat dissipation ability limits the reliability, performance and miniaturization of electronics.Thermal properties such as thermal conductivity, thermal dilfusivity and specific heat of metal (copper, zinc, Fe and bronze) powder-filled polymer composites are investigated experimentally in the range of filler content 0-24% by volume. ... 

To address the temperature issues related to excess silicon, all the same constituents in the N24-C system are used for potential N26 CMC generations, but remaining open pores in the CVI SiC matrix are filled by silicon-free ceramics, rather than by melt infiltration of silicon. In particular, for the N26-A CMC system, a SiC-yielding polymer from Starfire Inc. [13] is infiltrated into the matrix porosity at room temperature and then pyrolyzed at temperatures up to 2912°F (1600°C). This polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) process was repeated a few times until composite porosity was reduced to 14 vol,%, At this point, the total CMC system is then thermally treated at NASA to improve its thermal conductivity and creep-resistance. Thus although more porous than the other CMC systems, the N26-A system has no free silicon in the matrix, thereby allowing long-time structural use at 2600°F... 

Remarkably, the thermal conductivities of the composites filled with BP40 and BP80 are much higher than the prediction of Bruggeman equation. This demonstrates that the brush-like AlN particles enhance the thermal conductivity of the polymer matrix significantly. The intrinsic reason can be explored by Agari model [16], which considers the effect of dispersion state by introducing factors Cj and Cj ... 

Studies on a similar group of materials - polymeric composites reinforced with sisal fibers - were conducted by Manchado et al. [35]. They analyzed the presence of different fibers, such as sisal, on crystallization of polypropylene. The composites were prepared in special chamber for mixing where the matrix was plastified at 190°C. Obtained materials were subjected to thermal analysis by DSC. The analysis of thermograms allowed for a similar finding like in Joseph s studies [34], The presence of sisal fibers, as well as other fibers used in the study, accelerated crystallization of polypropylene. This was explained by the nucleating effect of sisal filler. Also, the half-time crystallization (ti/2) decrease was observed for polypropylene with the addition of sisal fibers in comparison with unfilled polypropylene. The analysis of nonisothermal crystallization showed that the degree of polypropylene crystallinity is higher for the composites filled with sisal fibers than for unfilled polymer. 

A decrease in radius of filler particles in the composite will result in an increased value of stresses needed to initiate the composite failure. Mechanisms of failure in a composite could take place in the polymer matrix by shear yielding and/or crazing, inside the aggregates of filler particles and/or at the interface matrix/filler by mechanism of dewetting. In particulate-filled composites, yielding and crazing do not depend on the work of adhesion between matrix and filler, VFmf, or thermal stresses, but these influence the dewetting phenomenon, considerably, (Eqn. 5) ... 

In recent years metallic particles have also been considered as fillers to increase the electrical and thermal conductivities of epoxy systems. The electrical and thermal conductivities of epoxy systems filled with metal (i.e. copper and nickel) powders have been studied (Mamunya et al., 2002). In this work it was shown that the composite preparation conditions allow the formation of a random distribution of metallic particles in the polymer matrix. The percolation theory equation holds true for systems with a random distribution of dispersed filler, while in contrast to the electrical conductivity, the dependence of thermal conductivity on concentration shows no jump in the percolation threshold region. 

For a PEEK and carbon fiber composite, the thermal conductivity was found to be best determined using Eq. 5.73 while the heat capacity was best determined using Eq. 5.74 but with mass fractions instead of volume fractions (Velisaris and Seferis, 1988). Values for p, k, and Cp are given in Table 5.11. It is interesting to note that the values of Cp for the matrix and carbon fiber are similar while the values of k are lower for the matrix. The bulk values of k for the composite are then increased somewhat over those of the matrix. Although it is not certain that these rules apply to polymer blends, filled polymers, or other composite structures, they at least represent the starting point for estimating the thermal transport properties of composite systems. 

Impact strength also increased if the adhesion between the polymer and fiber is increased [240, 249]. The most promising method of modification of fiber-filled compositions is by pre-treating the fibers or adding to the matrix of specific depressants or modifiers with the aim of creating a chemical bond at the interphase. This improves the composition service lifetime, strength and thermal stability [250],... 

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