On the two-temperature description of heterogeneous materials

Abstract

The thermal behaviour is critical in numerous applications, affecting any device’s lifetime and safe operations. Adding that the technological development resulted in the appearance of complex material structures, making the research on advanced thermal models even more important. Materials like 3D printed structures, foams, or with a biological origin often show non-Fourier thermal response. Modelling such a problem requires a thorough analysis and a deep understanding of non-Fourier models. The present paper focuses on two advanced models, called two-temperature and Guyer-Krumhansl equations. We compare their physical background and characteristic behaviour. Additionally, we perform the first experimental test of the two-temperature model. It is found that the solutions of the two-temperature model deviate from the ones predicted by the Guyer-Krumhansl equation. However, both approaches can model the experimental data under certain conditions and offer different insights about the observed heat conduction phenomenon.