Estimation and optimisation of effective thermal conductivity for polymer matrix composites with hybrid inclusions

Composites with hybrid inclusions have shown remarkable thermal conductivity enhancement over composites with a single type of inclusion. However, to achieve maximum thermal conductivity enhancement, the optimum ratio of inclusions in the hybrid mix needs to be determined. In this communication, an effective medium theory based model for the estimation of effective thermal conductivity of composites with hybrid inclusions is presented. The proposed model accurately captures the synergic effect of hybrid inclusions within the composite and can be used to optimise the filler ratio in the hybrid mix. The model has been validated against several published experimental results and is found to be in good agreement with them. Parametric studies have also been carried out to study the effect of material and model parameters on the optimum ratio of hybrid inclusions.