Effective medium theory for predictions of the thermal conductivity of multiphase carbon-based nanocomposites: methodologies and applications

Abstract Multiphase carbon-based nanocomposites have aroused extensive attention because of their excellent functionality, especially in thermal management applications. Meantime, nanocomposites are required to obtain better properties to meet the increasingly serious challenges. Some theories and models have been developed to investigate the thermal transport property of nanocomposites. These models provide theoretical foundation and guidance for the design and synthesis of advanced nanocomposites. Among these models and theories, effective medium theory (EMT) and its related theories are efficient approaches to predict the thermal conductivity of nanocomposites. In this chapter, we first present the modification of the EMT and propose basic theoretical models to predict the thermal conductivity of diverse multiphase nanocomposites. Next, we take three typical ternary nanocomposites as examples to get comprehensive predictable models. Then specific cases are utilized to validate the derived models and investigate the effects of materials properties on the thermal conductivity. Finally, we modify EMT models by taking into account the percolation effect and apply them to predict the thermal conductivity of multiphase nanocomposites with percolating networks.