Heat transfer performance investigation on two-dimensional aligned GO/EP composites

Abstract

High-altitude aircraft are susceptible to icing due to supercooled droplets, which can compromise flight safety. To address this, a novel approach was taken by leveraging electromagnetic field coupling to synthesize two-dimensional aligned graphene oxide/epoxy resin (GO/EP) composites. The thermal conductivity was significantly enhanced by 5 % over non-aligned GO/EP composites and by 5.7 % over pure EP, thereby improving the efficiency of electric heating de-icing systems. A mathematical heat transfer model was developed for the two-dimensional aligned GO/EP composite, based on the principles of thermal resistance and equivalent thermal conductivity, an optimized effective medium theory heat transfer model for GO/EP was established by introducing the parameter "m", which effectively predicting the thermal conductivity of composites. Both experimental and simulation studies confirmed a notable increase in thermal conductivity. The effective heat transfer path length within the aligned GO/EP composite was calculated to be 41.4 % longer than in the non-aligned version, indicating a more efficient heat conduction pathway. The research demonstrates that the integration of graphene oxide into epoxy resin creates thermally conductive channels, boosting heat transfer efficiency. The alignment of two-dimensional GO channels optimizes thermal conductivity without the need for increased doping, presenting a solution for high thermal conductivity composites in anti-/deicing applications. This innovation is expected to have implications for the future of aircraft de-icing technology.