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Prediction of effective thermal conductivities of woven fabric composites using unit cells at multiple length scales

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Abstract

A procedure for predicting the in-plane and out-of-plane thermal conductivities of woven fabric composites through a combined approach of the representative volume element method and heat transfer analyses via finite element is presented. The representative volume element method was implemented using two unit cells established at different length scales with periodic boundary conditions. The procedure was exemplified on a plain weave glass fabric reinforced epoxy resin matrix composite. Sensitivity studies were conducted to quantify the influence of fiber volume fraction and thermal conductivity of the constituent phases on the effective thermal conductivities of the composite. The procedure, which can be implemented into commercial finite element codes, is an efficient tool for the design of woven fabric composites.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ningbo Institute of Material Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China

    Hongzhou Li

  2. Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom

    Shuguang Li

  3. School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, M60 1QD, United Kingdom

    Yongchang Wang

Authors
  1. Hongzhou Li
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  2. Shuguang Li
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  3. Yongchang Wang
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Correspondence to Hongzhou Li.

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Li, H., Li, S. & Wang, Y. Prediction of effective thermal conductivities of woven fabric composites using unit cells at multiple length scales. Journal of Materials Research 26, 384–394 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2010.51

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2010.51

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