Thermomechanics of Disperse-Filled Composites and Computer Design of Materials with Record High Thermal Conductivity

Abstract

On the example of metal-diamond composites (MDC), a number of issues of thermomechanics of disperse-filled materials with high thermal conductivity used for thermal management are formulated and solved. Due to the importance of the thermal conductivity factor of the interfacial layer, a refined method is proposed for calculating the boundary thermal resistance. This method considers two counter heat flows: from the matrix to the filler and back, and also provides the condition of zero thermal resistance at the same values of the thermomechanical characteristics of these components. Based on the micromechanical model of the disperse-filled composite, an analytical method is developed for determining the effective thermal conductivity coefficient of the metal-diamond composites. The method makes it possible to take into account the boundary thermal resistance, the presence of a thin coating on the diamond particle, the anisometry of diamond particles and the porosity of the metal matrix. The results of the performed parametric analysis are compared with known experimental data and estimates obtained within the framework of existing models. The conclusion on the validity of the developed method is made. A simplified finite-element model is developed for a representative volume of the metal-diamond composites in the form of a cube formed by an aluminum matrix and containing 27 spherical diamond particles of the same radius with a modifying tungsten coating. At a given temperature difference on the opposite faces of the cube, the distribution of heat flux density and the effective heat transfer coefficient of the metal-diamond composites are calculated. Comparison of the results of using the finite element model and the analytical method mentioned above shows their good agreement. Modification of the finite element model is carried out in order to better match the real internal structure of the metal-diamond composites studied by high-resolution X-ray microtomography. Numerical analysis of the temperature field, thermal stress state and fracture kinetics of the aluminum-diamond composite during thermal cycling is performed.

Keywords

• thermal regulation
• metal-diamond composite
• thermal conductivity
• boundary thermal resistance
• thermal stress state
• fracture kinetics
• micromechanical model
• finite element analysis