Manufacturing and Heat Transfer Analysis of Nano-Micro Fiber Composites

Abstract

Nano-micro composites are widely used in many areas, such as sensors, flame retardant materials, batteries, and filtration. In this work, thermal properties of the filler fiber composites are studied experimentally, analytically, and numerically. For the thermal studies, the transverse thermal conductivity is discussed and calculated both analytically and numerically. In the analytical study, a hexagonal cell model is developed which includes an interfacial area. The volume fraction of the filler fibers is kept between 10-30%. From the results, it is seen that the numerical and analytical results showed much similarity. A novel device is designed to manufacture yarns continuously. Nano-micro fibers are manufactured and collected to form web and yarn. To collect the fibers, nonwoven fabrics are used, which allow easy release of fibers from the surface. Scanning electron microscope, thermal gravimetric analysis, and digital imaging are used to analyze the structures. Tensile strength, surface tension, and air permeability measurements are done. To transition from micro to nano is discussed in terms of modeling. It was shown that for the electrospun fibers whose diameters are above 200 nm, the conventional heat transfer modeling methods are still valid.