Thermal conductivity measurements for small molecule organic solid materials using modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) and data corrections for sample porosity

A method for measuring the thermal conductivity (k) of small molecule organic solid materials using modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) is demonstrated. Sample preparation required powder consolidation, unavoidably introducing air voids into compacts. Supporting equations for the technique were modified to include a porosity term (ɛ), and the theoretical quadratic relationship between k and ɛ was confirmed by experimental measurements for 18 representative materials. Zero-porosity extrapolation was used to approximate values of “true” thermal conductivity for non-porous solids (kɛ=0). Zero-porosity-extrapolated values ranged from 0.1273 W/(K m) to 0.3472 W/(K m) for all materials, consistent with expected values of k for non-porous organic polymers.