THERMOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS: A STATE-OF-THE-ART ASSESSMENT.

This summary of the literature and comparative analysis attempts to determine how well the experimental literature has been developed concerning these properties, how the experimental results tabulated so far compare with the theoretical predictions, and what new needs are evident for future research. The results show that certain material systems and properties have been well-researched, while others have been virtually ignored. Opportunities for further research in this area could include characterization of metal-matrix and polymer composites other than graphite-epoxy, development of a data base for thermal diffusivity and specific heat of composite materials, development of methods of predicting specific heat and thermal diffusivity, and development of more accurate and repeatable experimental methods of determining thermophysical properties.