[Other] Measurement and modeling of thermal contact resistance at a plastic metal interface Copy

Thermal contact resistance (TCR) is a resistance to the flow of heat across the interface of two surfaces in contact, due to surface imperfections. Its value is dependent on a number of interface parameters including pressure, temperature, the nature of plastic material and the metal surface characteristics. This study focuses on identifying the inter-relationships among these parameters, by measuring the TCR values for various plastic-metal interfaces under different experimental conditions. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of a model we have proposed for the plastic-metal interface to be used in process analysis. The model incorporates the TCR dependence on various interface parameters including pressure, surface asperities and hardness, as well as the specific volume of the plastic.