Influence of Carbon Fillers on the Thermal Conductivity of Poly (Methyl Methacrylate)/Carbon Composites

In the present research on carbon polymer composites, the effects of variation of the concentration of conductive fillers on the thermal conductivity of the resultant composite were studied. Carbon powders in the form of Carbon Fibers (CF) (200 mu m), Carbon Black (CB) (30-100 nm) and Graphite (75-100 mu m) were being considered as conductive fillers in the Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix. Nielsen model was found to be the best proposed model that incorporated geometric configuration comprising of both the orientation and shape of fillers. It was established that the calculated values of thermal conductivity of PMMA composites with single fillers of CF were higher than those of CB followed by Graphite. Furthermore, a visible synergy was observed between the combinations of these fillers such as Graphite and CF, Graphite and CB, CF and CB, as well as CB and CF.