A Model for the Thermal Response of Polymer Composite Materials with Experimental Verification

The thermal response of a polymer composite material undergoing decomposition has been modeled. A one-dimensional transient thermal model with an n th order ap proximation for the rate of decomposition was applied. The model was tested by ex perimentally measuring the temperature profiles during decomposition for a glass- filled phenol-formaldehyde polymer composite. Additionally, the specific heat and thermal conductivity of the virgin and char components, heat of decomposition, and the kinetic parameters were experimentally determined and used as input to the model. The predicted temperature profiles are in good agreement with experimental temperatures obtained using a radiant heat flux apparatus.