Chapter 3 - Theories and mechanisms of thermal conduction

Abstract

Researchers have never stopped exploring the theories and mechanisms of thermal conduction. Various theories and models have been established and developed to predict and investigate the thermal conduction phenomena. With advances in computational methods and computing power, some new lights are dawning. This chapter firstly gives a general description of the physical phenomenon of thermal conduction, then analyzes the thermal conduction mechanisms and influencing factors of polymers, as well as the thermal properties, thermal conduction mechanisms, and influencing factors (such as size effect, phonon electron coupling, etc.) of thermally conductive fillers, and finally introduces the thermal conduction mechanisms and related models of thermally conductive polymer composites with different filler characteristics, providing theoretical basis and experimental guidance for the design, preparation, and research of thermally conductive polymer composites.