Composite structures with integrated thermal management capacities

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Gries
• Subject Area: Lightweight Construction, Textile Technology
• Term: from 2010 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 169288819

Collaborative effort between the Center for Composite Materials (UD-CCM), and the Institut für Textil-technik der RWTH Aachen University (ITA) have shown that z-fiber reinforced composites can increase the thermal conductivity (TC) ten times with the potential to have equivalent thermal properties compared to metals while maintaining all the conventional benefits of composites. Nevertheless fundamental under-standing of TC behavior of three-dimensional reinforced composites is not fully comprehended and is the key to optimization. ITA and UD-CCM will together extend their fundamental research effort to establish a model base enabling design for a variety of applications that will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms to improve the through-thickness properties. ITA will develop suitable yarn structures for pitch based carbon fibers, model and design integrated textile structure, manufacture textile preforms with integrated thermal conductive yarns and test and characterize integrated textile structures. UD-CCM will develop an analytical and finite element model, modify resin injection methods and measure the TC. The possibilities offered for the formation of yarn taking into account the boundary conditions of the yarns such as fiber brittleness, yarn spacing and yarn diameter will be explored and thoroughly investigated in this project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: USA
• Participating Person: Dr. Suresh G. Advani