Numerical Methods to Estimate Thermal Conductivity of Porous Aluminosilicates

Abstract

The thermal transport properties of porous amorphous aluminosilicate structures are investigated using a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and finite element methods. The extent of porosity on the thermal conductivity of the aluminosilicate (AS) structures are characterized. It is seen that the thermal conductivity of the AS structures show a monotonic dependence on the amount of porosity introduced in the system for densities varying between 2.45 to 0.5 g/cc. Interestingly, for a given density (i.e. for a given volume of pores introduced), a larger distribution of smaller pores results in a lower thermal conductivity. This observation is correlated to more phonon-scattering centers in such systems. The results of this work will serve as the basis for designing thermal insulation coatings for mining and building applications.