Thermal diffusivity and conductivity -

an introduction to theory and practice

Utrecht, 02 October 2014

Dr. Hans-W. Marx

Linseis Messgerte GmbH Phone: +49 9287 880-12
Vielitzer Str. 43 Fax: +49 9287 70488
D-95100 Selb / GERMANY France: +33 1 73 02 82 72
www.linseis.com E-Mail: h.marx@linseis.de
 Linseis Messgerte GmbH
Linseis Messgerte GmbH is a german medium sized company specialized in
the production of instruments for thermal analysis since the 1950s.

Product range:

- Thermogravimetry TGA (under pressure; corrosive atmosphere)

- Differential thermal analysis DTA
- Dynamic scanning calorimetry DSC
- Simultanous thermal analysis STA (TGA-DTA-DSC)
- Dilatometry (piston or optical; with our without contact)
- Thermomechanical analysis TMA
- Couplings for evolved gas analysis (EGA: MS FTIR)
- Analysis for thermoelectrics (electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient)
- Thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity
 Applications I

- Low thermal conductivity: insulations

- Building industry, instruments: thermal isolators (refrigerators,

hot water tanks, heating pipes, brand protection)

- Thermoelectrics: increasing figure of merit by decreasing

thermal conductivity
 Applications II
- High thermal conductivity:
- Brake discs
- High performance alloys for tools: fast cooling of friction heat for longer
lifetime and better performance (drills, tools for hot presses etc.)
- Electronics: dissipation of local heat avoiding overheating

- Knowledge of thermal conductivity:

- Simulation of casting and solidification processes
- Management of solidification and control of material properties
Thermal diffusivity thermal conductivity
- Thermal diffusivity area/time (m/s) - :
propagation of a temperature difference in a material
how fast a temperature difference in a material is levelled out
(German: Temperaturleitfhigkeit temperature conductivity)

- Thermal conductivity power/(length * Kelvin) (W/m K) :

propagation of a heat difference in a material
how good heat energy is conducted through a material
(German: Wrmeleitfhigkeit heat conductivity)
Heat (W) passing by a sample of 1 m thickness and a surface of
1 m for a temperature gradient of 1 K during 1 sec
 Thermal diffusivity thermal conductivity

Thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity are related through the following
equation:

= Cp * density *

Thermal conductivity = heat capacity * density * thermal diffusivity

Transmitted heat = heat capacity * mass * temperature difference

All those properties (Cp, density) are temperature-dependent!

Thermal diffusivity thermal conductivity

Material Thermal diffusivity in 10-6 m/s Thermal conductivity in W/m*K

Water 0,15 0,56

Air 20 0,026

Wood 0,1-0,2 0,1-0,2

Glass 0,35-0,5 0,75-0,9

Iron 23 80

Steel 3,5-15 30-60

Copper 117 400

Diamond 1100 2300

Graphit 100-130 120-170

"Plexiglass PMMA 0,1 0,19

EPS 0,35-1,55 0,035-0,05

 Methods

Stationary methods:

- A stable temperature gradient is installed through the material to be tested

- Achieved when the heat flux in the sample equals the heat flux out of
the sample
- Advantage: simple theory and simple experimental set-up
- Disadvantage: long measuring times

Transient (time dependant) methods:

- Sample is subjected by a thermal disturbance; this disturbance is observed

as a function of time
- Advantage: rapid and simple measurement, small samples, measurement
at different temperatures
- Disadvantage: complicated theory; homogenous samples needed
 Stationary methods

Heat Flow Meter Guarded Hot Plate

Hot Plate Guard Plate

Cold Plate
Heat flux sensor Guard Insulation
Sample
Sample Guard Ring Hot Plate Guard Ring

Heat flux
Coldsensor
Plate Sample
Cold Plate Cold Plate

Typical sample size: 30 x 30 x 10 cm

Typical range: ca 0,001 to 1 W/mK
 Transient methods hot wire method

Hot wire T2
T
thermocouple t2
T1
t1

ln(t)
Typical signal

Thermal conductivity is inversely proportional to temperature increase. Thermal

diffusivity is calculated from the time needed for maximum temperature rise

Typical range: 0.005 to 10 - 500 W/mK

Typical sample size: some cm x some cm x cm
 Transient methods THB

THB Transient Hot Bridge: improved hot wire method (compensation of end effects)
 Application example THB

Investigations of the PTB (National Metrology Institute of Germany) on the

thermal conductivity of soils and sediments
 Laser Flash Method - ASTM E 1461

Standard Test Method for Thermal

Diffusivity by the Flash Method
A small, thin disc specimen is subjected to a high intensity short duration
radiant energy pulse. The energy of the pulse is absorbed on the front surface
of the specimen and the resulting temperature rise at the rear face is recorded.

The thermal diffusivity value is calculated from the specimen thickness and the
time required for the rear face temperature rise to reach half of its maximum
value.
 The Laser Flash Method

d IR radiation

1 ms
laser IR-detector

sample lens

TNorm(t)

Zeit
time
 Calculation of thermal diffusivity
Calculation
- Determination of the baseline and the maximum
temperature rise => Tmax

- Determination of the time required to reach half

maximum height T; this is the half time, t

- Calculation of thermal diffusivity from sample

thickness L and half time t :
= 0.13879 L2/t
 Calculation of thermal diffusivity
Calculation
- Determine the baseline and maximum rise to give
the temperature difference, Tmax

- Determine the time required from the initiation of the

pulse for the rear face temperature to reach T .
This is the half time, t.

- Calculate the thermal diffusivity, a, from the

specimen thickness, L squared and the half time t,
as follows:
= 0.13879 L2/t
 LFA and XFA instrument

Detector
Detektor

Iris
Iris

Ofen Furnace
Sample holder
Probenhalter

Laser Xenonlampe
 LFA and XFA instrument

Detector

furnace

Pulse source
Laser or Xenon

Typical range: 0.1 up to 1000 W/mK

Typical sample size: ca. 2 cm diameter, thickness ca 2 mm
 The Laser Flash Method limits
Minimal sample thickness depends:

1. on acquisition rate of the instrument/detector:

(limited number of measurement points)

2. On the duration of the laser pulse

(overlay of temperature rise
through the sample and laser pulse):
 Sample holder for thin films in-plane-adapter

Sample holder for thin films of < 0,1 mm (depending on thermal diffusivity of the sample)

Effective in-plane heat path approx. 6 mm

Thermal conductivity measurement
A suitable method for nano structured materials:

Time Domain Thermoreflectance (TDTR)

 TDTR example ZnO

Z.X. Huang et. al. Physica B 406 (2011)

thickness d2 (nm) k2 (W/(m*K)) Bulk ZnO: k2 ~ 100 W/m K

276 6.5
213 5.2
140 3.8
80 1.4
 Time domain thermoreflectance (TDTR)
measurement principle

Optical properties depend on temperature

- e.g. reflectance of electromagnetic radiation:

R 1 ______
R
T = CTR T
______ ___
=
R R T

Reflectance can be used as an indicator for temperature variation and

thermal conductivity
 TDTR experimental set-up

Z.X. Huang et. al. Physica B 406 (2011)

 TDTR measurement principle
High speed laser flash method Conventional Nanosecond
thermoreflectance method

Rear heating / front detection Front heating / front detection

T. Baba, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 48 (2009) 05EB04

 Choice of measurement method

HFM heat flow meter: plates 30 x 30 cm; thickness up to 10 cm

THB transient hot bridge: solids, liquids, powders, pastes;

4 x 8 x < 1 cm

XFA and LFA - Xenon and Laser Flash Analyzer; solids and liquids; diameter 25,4
mm; thickness: some mm

TFA: thin films on substrates, thickness in the sub-m range

 Choice of measurement method

Heat Flow Meter

(-20100C)
Guarded Hot Plate (-180650C)

Guarded Heat Flow Meter (-150300C)

Hot Wire (RT1500C)

Flash (-125 2400C)

0.001 0.010 0.100 1.00 10.0 100 1000

Thermal Conductivity (W/m-K)
 Anaspec Solutions

Anaspec Solutions BV
Coenecoop 3C5
2741 PG Waddinxveen
Bezoek onze stand 8D065

info@anaspec.eu
www.anaspec.eu

anaspec.eu
Thank you for your kind attention!
Any questions or remarks?