In an effort to reduce the flammability of commonly used polymers with and create more fire-safe materials, research is being done on the use of flame retardants within polymers. To date, not much is known about the physics and dynamics of this process. Simulating heat propagation in polymer nanocomposite systems may guide experimental flame retardant---and other thermal materials science---research. Using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), a model is developed in both two and three dimensions to simulate heat diffusion initiated by a finite heat pulse in a multiphase system comprised of a polymer matrix and flame retardant nanocomposite fillers. By varying the volume fraction of the fillers, along with their thermal diffusivity, heat capacity and thermal boundary resistance with respect to the polymer, heat transfer in polymer composites is studied. We also vary the size. shape and thermal conductivity of the nanofillers to study the effect on heat dissipation and the time to ignition.

Heat dissipation in polymer nanocomposites: Effect of filler size and shape

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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