Numerical simulation of thermal conductivity of graphene nanoplatelet-reinforced resin matrix composites

Abstract

To improve the thermal transport capability of resin matrix composites for lightweight heat-management applications, a numerical study was carried out on graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)-reinforced resin composites. A representative volume element model containing randomly dispersed two-dimensional GNP fillers was established, and steady-state thermal analyses were performed in the X, Y and Z directions. Four GNP mass fractions, namely 0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 wt%, were investigated. The temperature contour results show a continuous thermal gradient across the model, while the local temperature field is disturbed around the GNP phase because of the higher conductivity of the nanosheets. The calculated average thermal conductivities are 0.246625, 0.256185, 0.264987 and 0.271955 W/(m K), respectively. Compared with the neat resin, the average thermal conductivity increases by 3.88%, 7.45% and 10.27% at 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 wt% GNP, respectively. The results indicate that the improvement is mainly attributed to the formation of local heat-transfer paths by two-dimensional GNPs, whereas interfacial thermal resistance and the incomplete conductive network at low filler contents limit the enhancement efficiency. This work provides a preliminary numerical reference for the design of low-content graphene nanoplatelet/resin composites used in thermal management structures, which still requires further validation by experimental measurements.