An extensive study on enhancing the thermal conductivity of core-shell nanoparticle composites using finite element method

Abstract

This paper describes an extensive study on enhancing the thermal conductivity (TC) of core-shell nanoparticle polymer composites under the effects of the TC ratios between core nanoparticles, shell layer and the matrix material, and the volume fractions (VF) of core and shell. Finite element method is used for both numerical simulation and solving the related nonlinear equations. Consequently, the effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of such a polymer composites can be enhanced by adding larger VF and higher TC of core and shell into the matrix. Shell layer plays a more important role in the TC enhancement compared to core nanoparticle. It is revealed that an abrupt increase of ETC exists even at low VF of shell layer under the appropriate conditions, high shell TC and low core one in general. The maximum ETC is due to the synergic effects of core nanoparticle and shell layer filled in the matrix, and it exists when core VF is 0.516 times greater than that of shell. Many other good guidance are provided for enhancing and achieving the maximum ETC of core-shell nanoparticle polymer composites, and they play an important role in producing the advanced polymer composites.