Influences of temperature and contact pressure on thermal contact resistance at interfaces at cryogenic temperatures

The microscopic heat transfer between solid and solid at cryogenic temperatures exists in many application fields. This paper employed the Laser Photothermal Method (LPM) which is a transient and non-contact method to measure the Thermal Contact Resistance (TCR) between solid and solid in the temperature range of 70–290 K and the pressure range of 0.2–0.7 MPa. This paper analyzed the effects of the temperature and the contact pressure on the TCR at interfaces. The relationship between the TCR and the temperature at certain contact pressure was established, and the explanation about this phenomenon was given. Following, the TCR of SS 304–AlN, SS 304–Cu and SS 304–SS 304 were compared at different temperatures and contact pressures.

► Thermal contact resistance of solid–solid was measured by the Laser Photothermal Method.
► Effects on thermal contact resistance of loading pressure, temperature are analyzed.
► Thermal contact resistance depends linearly on the loading pressure.
► Thermal contact resistance has a power relationship with the temperature.
► Thermal contact resistance of SS 304–SS 304 is larger than that of Cu–SS 304 and SS 304–AlN.