Thermal conductivity measurements using the flash method

Thermal diffusivity is the speed with which heat propagates through a material. It has a multitude of direct applications, such as determining heat transfer through brake pads at the moment of contact, etc., but more often it is used to derive thermal conductivity from the fundamental relationship tying it with specific heat capacity and density. Using a new multi-sample configuration system, and testing a reference sample adjacent to the unknown, specific heat capacity can be obtained parallel with thermal diffusivity. Thus, a single test yields thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity with prior knowledge of density. The method is fast and produces results with high accuracy and very good repeatability. The sample size, 12 to 30 mm diameter and 2 to 5 mm thickness, is easy to handle and is well suited for a broad range of materials, even for composites, often a problem for other methods. Typical data on two polymers, Pyrex glass and Pyroceram 9606 are presented. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.