Thermal conductivity of polystyrene-aluminum nitride composite

The thermal conductivity of polymer composites having a matrix of polystyrene (PS) containing aluminum nitride (AIN) reinforcement has been investigated under a special dispersion state of filler in the composites: aluminum nitride filler particles surrounding polystyrene matrix particles, Data for the thermal conductivity of the composites are discussed as a function of composition parameters (aluminum nitride concentration, polystyrene particle size) and temperature. It is found that the thermal conductivity of composites is higher for a polystyrene particle size of 2 mm than that for a particle size of 0,15 turn. The thermal conductivity of the composite is five times that of pure polystyrene at about 20% volume fraction of AIN for the composite containing 2 mm polystyrene particle size. The relationship between thermal conductivity of composites and AIN filler concentrations has been compared with the predictions of two theoretical models from the literature. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.