Effective Thermal Conductivity of Spherical Particulate Nanocomposites: Comparison with Theoretical Models, Monte Carlo Simulations and Experiments

The purpose of this work is to study heat conduction in systems that are composed out of spherical micro-and nanoparticles dispersed in a bulk matrix. Special emphasis will be put on the dependence of the effective heat conductivity on various selected parameters as dimension and density of particles, interface interaction with the matrix. This is achieved by combining the effective medium approximation and extended irreversible thermodynamics, whose main feature is to elevate the heat flux vector to the status of independent variable. The model is illustrated by three examples: Silicium-Germanium, Silicaepoxy-resin and Copper-Silicium systems. Predictions of our model are in good agreement with other theoretical models, Monte-Carlo simulations and experimental data.