Thermal Conductivity of Natural Fiber, Glass Fiber & CNTs Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Abstract

Epoxy composites consisting of sisal, glass fibers and Multi walled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs) were fabricated by three different methods like Hand layup, unstretched fibers and stretched fibers methods. Test specimens prepared as per ASTM standards using Vinyl ester thermosetting resin as matrix and reinforced with different weight percentages of sisal, fiber glass and 1% of MWCNTs. Specimens were prepared using stretched fibers by hand lay-up process in open moulds. Thermal contact conductance (TCC) is used to analyze heat transfer across the two solid contacting surfaces at different temperatures. It is found that TCC of 4% sisal-4% glass fiber and 1% MWCNTs sample has highest thermal conductivity of 16 W/mK at 100oC. It is observed that the presence of nano interstitial material in FRP composite has improved the thermal conductivity in the subjected temperature range.