Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measurement and Estimation of High-Vacuum Effective Thermal Conductivity of Polyimide Foam in the Temperature Range from 160 K to 370 K for Outer Space Applications

  • Published:
International Journal of Thermophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Polyimide foam (PF) is a low-thermal conductivity and lightweight material with high resistances against heat, protons, and UV irradiation. A new thermal insulation composed of PFs and multiple aluminized films (PF–MLI) has potential to be used in outer space as an alternative to conventional multilayer insulation (MLI). As fundamental numerical data, the effective thermal conductivity of PF in wide ranges of density and temperature need to be determined. In the present study, thermal-conductivity measurements were performed by both the periodic heating method and the guarded hot-plate method in the temperature range from 160 K to 370 K and the density range from 6.67 \(\mathrm{kg} \cdot \mathrm{m}^{-3}\) to 242.63 \(\mathrm{kg}\cdot \mathrm{m}^{-3}\). The experiments were carried out in a vacuum and under atmospheric pressure. For confirmation of the validity of the present guarded hot-plate apparatus under atmospheric pressure, the effective thermal conductivity of the lowest-density PF was measured with the aid of the heat flow meter apparatus calibrated by the standard reference material (NIST SRM 1450c) in the temperature range from 303 K to 323 K. In order to cross-check the present experimental results, the temperature and density dependences of the effective thermal conductivity of PF were estimated by means of the lattice Boltzmann method based on a dodecahedron inner microscopic complex structure model which reflects a real 3D X-ray CT image of PF.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S. Okazaki, M. Murakami, H. Kawasaki, T. Yabe, Y. Kanamori, “Experimental Study of Influence of Processing on MLI Performance for Space Use,” in 38th International Conference on Environmental Systems, SAE-2008-01-2067, San Francisco, CA (2008)

  2. T. Ohmura, M. Tsuboi, in Proceedings of the 21st Japan Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, Nagoya, Japan (2000), p. 147

  3. J. Paek, B. Kang, S. Kim, J. Hyun, Int. J. Thermophys. 21, 453 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Y. Hiasa, H. Nagano, A. Ohnishi, Y. Nagasaka, in Proceedings of the 8th Asian Thermophysical Properties Conference, No. 152, Fukuoka, Japan (2007)

  5. M. Wang, N. Pan, Int. J. Heat Mass Transf. 51, 1325 (2008)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. M. Wang, N. Pan, Mater. Sci. Eng. R 63, 1 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Wang, J. Wang, N. Pang, S. Chen, Phys. Rev. E 15, 036702 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. UPILEX-FOAM DATA SHEET, UBE Industries, Ltd. (2000)

  9. D. Kunii, J. Smith, AIChE J. 6, 71 (1960)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. M.K. Williams, E.S. Weiser, J.E. Fesmire, B.W. Grimsley, T.M. Smith, J.R. Brenner, G.L. Nelson, Polym. Adv. Technol. 16, 167 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Y. Mizutani, T. Sugihara, S. Tachikawa, A. Ohnishi, K. Kajiwara, Y. Nagasaka, in Proc. 30th Japan Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, Yonezawa, Japan (2009), p. 262

  12. E. Placido, M. Arduini-Schuster, J. Kuhn, Infrared Phys. Technol. 46, 219 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. M. Wang, J. Wang, N. Pan, S. Chen, J. He, J. Phys. D 40, 260 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. J. Wang, M. Wang, Z. Li, Int. J. Therm. Sci. 46, 228 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. X. Hong, W. Di, S. Yuhe, Res. J. Appl. Sci. Eng. Technol. 6, 2520 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  16. L. Gibson, M. Ashby, Cellular Solids: Structure & Properties (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1988)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. BIPM, IEC, IFCC, ISO, IUPAC, IUPAP, OIML, “Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement” (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, 1993)

  18. R.R. Zarr, Standard Reference Materials: Glass Fiberboard, SRM 1450c, for Thermal Resistance from 280 K to 340 K. NIST Special Publication 260–130 (National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1997)

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Dr. Ohnishi (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science) for the initial concept on the present research and Messrs. Yasuhiro Hiasa, Takashi Sugihara, and Yuki Mizutani, students of Keio University at that time, for their assistance in carrying out experiments and calculations. The authors also wish to thank UBE Industries, Ltd. for supplying the polyimide foams. The work described in this paper was partially supported under a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) (No. 24226006) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Integrated Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan

    Ryuichi Takagi

  2. Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 229-8510, Japan

    Sumitaka Tachikawa

  3. NICHIAS Corporation, 1-8-1 Shinmiyakoda, Kita, Hamamatsu, 431-2103, Japan

    Takahiro Ohmura

  4. Department of System Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan

    Yuji Nagasaka

Authors
  1. Ryuichi Takagi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sumitaka Tachikawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Takahiro Ohmura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yuji Nagasaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuji Nagasaka.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Takagi, R., Tachikawa, S., Ohmura, T. et al. Measurement and Estimation of High-Vacuum Effective Thermal Conductivity of Polyimide Foam in the Temperature Range from 160 K to 370 K for Outer Space Applications. Int J Thermophys 35, 277–289 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-014-1605-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-014-1605-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation