Measurement of Thermal Conductivity of Carbon Foams

A number of carbon foam products are being developed for use as insulation, heat spreaders, and compact heat exchanger cores. The application of carbon foams in aerospace applications is advantageous due to the high thermal conductivity and low density of the graphitic foam. However, the measurement of thermal conductivity has been difficult due the problems of interface contact and lower strength of the foam. The flash diffusivity method has been used to find thermal conductivity of a wide range of materials. Because of the porous nature of the foam, errors may be introduced with the flash diffusivity method. An analytical and experimental study has been carried out to determine the validity of the flash diffusivity method for foam specimen.