Model for thermal conductivities in spun yarn carbon fabric composites

Abstract A study on the thermal conductivities of spun yarn‐type carbon/phenolic (spun C/P) composites using a thermal‐electrical analogy method is presented. This method is based on the similarity between the partial differential equation that governs the thermal potential and electrical potential distribution. The unit cell of a laminate composite is divided into several conduction elements. By constructing an equivalent thermal resistance network in series, and in parallel based on analogy, we were able to predict the thermal conductivity of the composite. The prediction values obtained from the model are compared with known thermal conductivities on a carbon/epoxy composite with an eight‐harness satin (8HS) texture. It is shown that the model provides a good estimate of the thermal conductivity of the spun yarn fabric‐reinforced composite. With the use of this model, the thermal conductivity of the spun C/P composites with 8HS was validated experimentally. Good agreement was found between the present approach and the experimental results. POLYM. COMPOS., 26:791–798, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers