Assessment of Thermal Conductivity of Epoxy‐Based Hybrid Composites Using Computational and Experimental Approach

ABSTRACT The present study explores the thermal insulating behavior of epoxy‐based composites reinforced with ramie fiber and glass dust, using a combination of numerical analysis and experimental validation. To numerically assess the effective thermal conductivity ( k eff ) of the composites, a finite element approach is applied to a 1‐D heat conduction model under defined boundary conditions. The simulations are conducted to evaluate k eff under two different conditions: with and without voids within the composite element. Hybrid epoxy composites of varying filler proportions, ranging volume fractions from 0% to 15.136% are then fabricated using the hand lay‐up method. Using the guarded heat flow method, the k eff of these composites is then measured. The numerical simulation outcomes are matched against experimental k eff values, revealing good agreement with a maximum deviation of only 5.97%. The epoxy composites exhibited a decrease in k eff by about 25.56% from 0.180 to 0.134 W/m K with an increase in filler content up to 17 wt.%, indicating enhanced thermal insulation performance of the composites. This study confirms that hybrid epoxy composites containing ramie fiber and glass dust provide a thermally insulating and economical alternative for various functional applications, such as in packaging, construction, and automotive parts.