Thermal characterization of AS4/3501-6 carbon-epoxy composite

Abstract

Thermal diffusivity, specific heat, and thermal conductivity are important thermophysical properties of composite materials. These properties play a significant role in the engineering design process of space systems, aerospace vehicles, transportation, energy storage devices, and power generation including fuel cells. This paper examines these thermophysical properties of the AS4/3501-6 composite using the xenon flash method to measure the thermal diffusivity in accordance with ASTM E1461 and differential scanning calorimetry to measure the specific heat in accordance with ASTM E1269. The thermal conductivity was then calculated using a proportional relationship between the density, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity.