Thermal conductivity of the epoxy resin filled by low melting point alloy

Purpose: The aim of the work was to determine the effectiveness of the modification of epoxy resin's thermal conductivity by Wood's alloy particles addition. Design/methodology/approach: The manufacturing method of thermosetting polymer matrix composite materials reinforced with the Wood's alloy particles was searched. Firstly, the mixing conditions were differentiated to obtain good dispersion of the reinforcement in polymeric matrix. The thermal conductivity coefficient of composites has been investigated by using of the quasi-static test. Findings: The suggested method of thermal conductivity measurement allows to avoid the procedure of solving complicated equations. The developed measuring device enables the measurements of thermal conductivity of polymer composites in a form of a beam of 4x20X120 mm dimension. The results of the thermal conductivity tests and their analysis are presented. Research limitations/implications: The presented research was limited to composites in the form of small samples. The developed technology of this type of composites' preparation is limited to small volumes because of the sedimentation process. The second limitation results from the necessity of matching the shape of the test specimen to the size of the cooler and heater on the device for measuring thermal conductivity. Practical implications: Materials with low melting point alloy content show many possible applications. First of all, these are the materials of higher thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity than the standard polymeric materials. Originality/value: The preparation method of thermosetting polymer matrix composite materials reinforced with the Wood's alloy particles fabricating method was developed. Composites with good thermal properties were obtained. The obtained results confirm the utility of the applied investigation methods in the thermal analysis of polymer composites.