Bio-inspired tunable anisotropic thermal conductivities investigation of periodic lattice composite via external strains

Yingli Shi,Yuhang Li,Jian Wu

doi:10.1063/1.5113857

Yingli Shi, Yuhang Li + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5113857

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Abstract

Controlling and tuning thermal conductivities of composites, including changing the direction of heat flux and thermal energy distribution, possesses significantly meaningful potential in many applications such as heat cloak, heat invisibility, heat protection and so on. In this paper, a novel design of composite metamaterial with periodic lattice structure, consisting of metal lattice layer (copper) and stretchable polymer matrix (Ecoflex), owns the ability to tune the anisotropic thermal conductivity through external strains. The parameters (such as geometric arrangement of metal lattice, loading strains), which can effectively influence the thermal properties of this metamaterial, have been investigated through finite element method considering large deformation. This new design may be helpful for designing and controlling heat flow and temperature distribution in the applications.

Highlights

Manipulating the heat flow, such as controlling the direction of heat flow and propagation of thermal energy, has been of great interest in the recent decade
In order to pursue the flexibility and tunability, a new design of composite materials with periodic metal lattice embedded in polymer matrix is proposed, consisting of metal lattice layer and polymer material matrix (Ecoflex), whose thermal conductivity can be tuned through external strain with immediate effect
Two-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA), which is shown in Figure (3a) and (3b), is performed via ABAQUS to study the strain distributions of metamaterials composed of copper and Ecoflex under tensile/compressive loading, and is utilized to validate the analytical model with ratio rl and rm of 5 and 1/5, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Manipulating the heat flow, such as controlling the direction of heat flow and propagation of thermal energy, has been of great interest in the recent decade. A novel design of composite metamaterial with periodic lattice structure, consisting of metal lattice layer (copper) and stretchable polymer matrix (Ecoflex), owns the ability to tune the anisotropic thermal conductivity through external strains.

Results

Conclusion