Thermal conductivity and thermal expansion

A variety of methods are available for evaluating the thermal conductivity and thermal expansion of materials.

 

Measurement of Thermal Conductivity

• Laser Flash Analysis

Laser flash analysis is a widely used method for determining thermal conductivity. In this technique, a short laser pulse is applied to the material and the resulting temperature change is measured at another location. The thermal conductivity can then be calculated from the recorded temperature response.

 

Measurement of Thermal Expansion

• pVT Measurement

pVT measurements on polymer melts enable the precise determination of specific volume as a function of temperature and pressure, providing a crucial basis for the characterization of plastics and the design of manufacturing processes. These measurements make it possible to determine the compressibility and thermal volume expansion coefficient of polymers, which is particularly important for optimizing injection molding and extrusion processes. In addition, the resulting pVT data support the validation of models used to simulate the behavior of polymer melts under real production conditions.

• Thermo-Mechanical Analysis (TMA)

Thermo-mechanical analysis (TMA) enables the determination of linear coefficients of thermal expansion for materials and components. Under controlled mechanical loading, it can also capture deformation behavior such as shrinkage, creep, and recovery effects. This allows the investigation of glass transition temperature, phase transitions, and the long-term behavior of plastic components. These insights are especially valuable for quality assurance, process optimization in injection molding and extrusion, and the development of new polymer materials with defined thermomechanical properties.