Conductive properties of foam materials with open or closed cells

The work is devoted to computer simulations of the effective conductive properties of open and closed-cell foam materials. The conductivity of the solid phase of the foam is assumed to be much larger than the one of the filler. For the calculation of the effective conductivity, a complex cell element of the foam that consists of a typical cell and its nearest neighbors is introduced. This element is embedded in the medium with the conductivity of the solid phase. For the calculation of the field and field flux in the complex cell, 3D-integral equations for the fields in heterogenous media are used. The effective conductivity is the coefficient that relates the average field and the field flux in the central part of the complex cell. The method is applied to the calculation of the effective conductivity of open cell foams with various shapes of ligaments. Transition from open to closed-cell foams is considered. Predictions of the method are compared with the experimental data available in the literature.

► Computer simulation of the effective conductive properties of foam materials.
► A representative element consists of a typical foam cell and its nearest neighbors.
► Volume integral equations for fields in heterogeneous media are used.
► Close and open cell foams with various shapes of ligaments are studied.