Controlling Thermal Conductivity of Composite Material – Few Large and Many Small Approach

Abstract

Abstract Composite metal foams are made of metal matrix and air-filled spherical inclusions. They have superior mechanical and thermal characteristics when compared to the parent metals. Intrinsic material properties like thermal conductivity of composite metal foams can be controlled by distributing the porosity in the matrix based on few-large-and-many-small approach inspired by the Constructal law. To demonstrate this, large spheres in a metal foam are replaced with smaller diameter spheres, while maintaining constant porosity. It is shown that this form of redistribution of porosity results in decreased thermal conductivity of the metal foam.