Saikiran et al. 2023. Int. J.

Vehicle Structures & Systems, 15(2), 222-226

Int ernat i onal Journal of
ISSN: 0975-3060 (Print), 0975-3540 (Online)
doi: 10.4273/ijvss.15.2.15. Vehicle Structures & Systems
Available online at https://yanthrika.com/eja
© 2023. Carbon Magics Ltd.

Experimental Investigation on Thermal Behaviour of Silicon Carbide (SiC)

based Polymer Composites under Hygrothermal Conditions
Chinnari Saikirana,b, Srihari Pallia,c, Ramakrishna Bondalaa,d, Rakesh Chandmal Sharmag,
Dowluru Sreeramulua,e and Raghuveer Dontikurtia,f
aDept. of Mech. Engg., Aditya Institute of Tech. and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
bEmail: saikiran.mechanical320@gmail.com
cEmail: srihari.palli@gmail.com
dEmail: brkbtech@gmail.com
eEmail: dowlurusreeram@gmail.com
fEmail: raghuveer.dontikurti@gmail.com
gDept. of Mech. Engg., Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

Corresponding Author, Email: rcsharmaiitr@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:
The thermal management of electronic devices is a critical component of their performance. Due to the emergence and
evolution of new technologies, the wide use of electronic devices is increased in the past decade in the field of marine,
automobile and other stationary applications. The need for effective thermal management in these applications has
become more critical. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the various challenges that face the
development of new composite materials, as epoxy-based composites are the latest trend of materials widely used in
many areas. But their thermal conductivity behaves poorly in moisture and thermal conditions. This work attempts to
study the behaviour of silicon carbide and E glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite under hygrothermal and
compressive loads. Specimens are also tested for moisture absorption to calculate the hygro strains of a specimen. E-
glass fiber is fixed to 15% and varied 10%, 20% and 30% of SiC in the fabrication of hybrid polymer composite using
the hand-layup technique. These specimens undergo tensile, flexural, hardness and thermal conductivity tests, revealing
the tensile strength, thermal, flexural strength, hardness and thermal conductivity of proposed specimens. The
behaviour of the specimens is compared for all conditions with moisture at room temperature, 80 C and 150C.

KEYWORDS:
Polymer composites; SiC; Hygrothermal; Thermal conductivity; Tensile testing; Flexural strength

CITATION:
C. Saikiran, S. Palli, R. Bondala, R.C. Sharma, D. Sreeramulu and R. Dontikurti. 2023. Experimental Investigation on
Thermal Behaviour of Silicon Carbide (SiC) based Polymer Composites under Hygrothermal Conditions, Int. J. Vehicle
Structures & Systems, 15(2), 222-226. doi:10.4273/ijvss.15.2.15.

1. Introduction Researchers are currently developing single-use

A combination of several materials with significantly
different chemical or physical properties can produce
better properties than their components. The constituents
of the composite retain their identities and do not merge
or dissolve into each other [1]. One of the most widely
used materials is composites due to their flexibility and
ability to be used in different situations. They are also
very strong and have low density, making them ideal for
various applications [2]. One of the most widely used
types of thermosetting resins is epoxy resins. These are
also known for their high mechanical and dimensional
properties and low cost and shrinkage rate. They are
commonly used as the matrix of various composites and
coatings. Due to the increasing number of applications
requiring high thermal conductivities, new composites
with better mechanical and thermal properties have
become more prevalent [3]. Various types of high-
performance carbon fiber and thermal conductive fillers
can be utilized to increase epoxy's mechanical and
thermal conductivity [4].
thermal conductive polymers that meet different
electronic device demands. Due to the rapid emergence
and evolution of the electronic industry, the need for new
technologies has become more prevalent. Due to the
high level of integration, the heat generated by the
device can quickly become dissipated to allow it to
function efficiently [5]. Due to their chemical resistance,
mechanical properties and thermal stability, epoxy resins
are widely used in various aerospace, automotive and
electronic industries. However, the low thermal
conductivity of certain types of epoxy resins can prevent
their applications. Due to their low thermal conductivity,
they must be used in electronic packaging. This issue is
becoming more prevalent as the demands for faster and
denser circuits increase [6-8]. Conductive ceramic
materials can be incorporated into certain polymers to
improve their thermal conductivity. This process can
help prevent overheating in the device. A composite
made with a single particle size and a different type of
filler with different sizes exhibited higher thermal
conductivity [9].

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 Saikiran et al. 2023. Int. J. Vehicle Structures & Systems, 15(2), 222-226
This difference is because the former's thermal
conductivity is higher than the latter. In addition, the
former's thermal conductivity is higher when made with
different shapes and sizes of filler. Silicon carbide (SiC)
can be classified as thermally conductive since pure SiC
monocrystals exhibit a thermal conductivity of 490 W/m
K at room temperature. The results of the experimental
and mathematical models are found to be close to each
other regarding low-fiber content. It was noticed that the
increase in fiber content could lead to an increase in
thermal conductivity [10]. Polymers can enhance their
thermal conductivity by adding fillers such as copper
mesh, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, graphene and
CNT [11-15]. These components can be used in various
applications due to their hygrothermal effect, which is
caused by the combination of moisture and elevated
temperature. Most automobile components, such as the
under-hood, are exposed to high temperatures. This can
reach up to 130C due to the engine's temperature and
weather conditions. In addition, moisture can be caused
by the weather [16].
The mechanical properties of various thermoplastic
composites are highly dependent on their temperature.
The effects of moisture on these properties depend on
the matrix composition, interface and fiber type [17]. For
instance, when the temperature increases, these
composites' elastic and tensile strength can decrease. The
increasing temperature can cause the fracture stress to
increase due to the molecular chain motion of the
polymers. This effect is more pronounced in
unreinforced materials [18]. The tensile properties of
these materials are more matrix-based. Polymers are
known to absorb moisture. The amount of water they can
take in depends on their composition. For instance,
polyamide groups are sensitive to moisture due to their
polar structure. The water uptake rate increases with
temperature, while the maximum is constant [19-20].
The increase in temperature can stimulate segmental
mobility resulting in a higher rate of water absorption. In
polymer composites, the resin usually absorbs moisture.
But, the interface between the matrix and fiber can
change the absorption rate. This paper presents
theoretical and experimental data on the thermal
conductivity of a silicon carbide filler glass fiber epoxy
resin hybrid.
2. Materials and methods
Resin LY556 is used in this work. The thermal
conductivity of this material is 0.2 W/mk. And which is
very low. The observations in past research e-glass fiber
of 15% show improved properties in enhancing tensile
and flexural strength. So, a constant 15% of e-glass fiber
is considered in all the samples. For the initial study of e-
glass fibre in epoxy, samples are fabricated for
conducting the flexural and tensile test. The samples are
shown in Fig. 1 and the results are tabulated in Table 1.
To control the hygrothermal effect on the polymer and
improve the thermal conductivity of the polymer, SiC is
used as a filler material with E-glass. The percentage of
SiC is varied to identify the performance of the
composite. The combinations are listed in Table 2. All
the samples were fabricated by using the hand layup
223
method. The SiC particles used are in the average size of
44µm and randomly distributed in the composite. These
works investigate combined hygro and thermal effects to
study the changes in the composite due to the hygro
thermal ageing effect. According to the UNEEN ISO 62,
2008, water absorption tests were conducted to study the
properties of bio epoxy composites reinforced with flax
fibre [21]. The samples were immersed in water for
some time until saturation was achieved. All the samples
are divided into three sets for three different conditions.
Each set of samples is kept at different temperatures of
hot water. Temperatures of water considered in this work
are 28, 80 and 150C for 7 days, i.e., 168 hours of
immersion.
Fig. 1: E-glass fiber epoxy composite samples
Table 1: Properties of neat epoxy and Eglass + epoxy composite
Tensile Strength Flexural
Material properties
(MPa) Strength(MPa)
Neat Epoxy 68.7 52
E-Glass 15% + epoxy 182.5 95.8
Table 2: List of compositions considered for investigation
Composition Sample name
85% Epoxy + 15% E-glass fiber ESC0
75% Epoxy + 15% E-glass fiber + 10% SiC ESC1
65% Epoxy + 15% E-glass fiber + 20% SiC ESC2
55% Epoxy + 15% E-glass fiber + 30% SiC ESC3
The weight gain percentage was calculated at
various intervals and plotted against the water immersion
time. The average value was then reported. The
difference between the sample's weight in dry and wet
conditions was obtained after the immersion. Equation 1
gives the moisture % present in the specimens.
𝑊𝑡1 −𝑊𝑖
𝑊𝑡 = × 100 (1)
𝑊𝑖
After the samples are exposed to hygrothermal
conditions, mechanical properties are evaluated. Samples
are undergone tensile testing, flexural or bending test
and hardness. All the specimens are machined to the
ASTM standards D638, where the overall length of the
specimens is 165mm and gauge length maintained is
about 115mm at a thickness of 3.2mm [22]. All the
specimens are tested for tensile strength and can estimate
the influence of SiC particles with E-glass. A flexural/
bending test is conducted for all the specimens to study
the behaviour of the prepared composites under
hygrothermal conditions and reinforcement contributions
in resisting the adverse environment.
The specimens are machined in a rectangular shape
as per ASTMD790. The dimensions of the specimens are
 Saikiran et al. 2023. Int. J. Vehicle Structures & Systems, 15(2), 222-226

150×12.7×3.2mm (L, W, T) [23]. Hardness of all the test specimens. But the presence of SiC influences the
samples is investigated to study the effect of lowering of the moisture absorption rate. These can be
hyrgrothermal ageing effect. The testing specimen witnessed in Figs. 3(c) and 3(d). As the SiC percentage
dimensions 50mm × 50mm × 5mm. The diameter of the increases, the sample rate of water or moisture
ball-shaped indenter is 10mm and the load applied is 500 absorption decreases. This positively affects the
kgf. This composite's thermal conductivity is studied composites for the higher life of the components. Fig.
using Lee's disc method Fig. 2 illustrates the 3(d) shows the trend of the SiC 30% in the composite,
arrangements. The specimen is kept in between the which recorded lower values when compared to others.
steam chamber and the lower disc. Where the steam
chamber can also be called the upper disc (B) and the
lower disc named (C), both discs' temperatures T 1 and T2
were observed by two thermometers in a controlled
environment. When both discs are in a steady state, the
sample is removed from the setup and a 10℃
temperature drop was recorded in seconds. Fig. 2 shows
the arrangement of the setup. By using Eqn. (2) the
formula for K and the corresponding values are
Fig. 3(a): Moisture absorption% for ESIC0 samples
calculated for all the samples.
𝑀.𝑆(𝑟+2ℎ) 𝐿𝑥
𝐾= × (2)
2(𝑟+ℎ) 𝜋𝑟 2 (𝑇1 −𝑇2 )
Mass of the brass disc, 'm' gms = 975 grams. Average
thickness of the brass disc = 'h' cm. Average radius of
the brass disc = 'r' cm = radius of the bad conductor,
average thickness of the cardboard = 'L' cm. Specific
heat of brass, 'S' = 0.089 Cal/gm/°C. Steady temperature
of the steam box = T1 ℃. Steady temperature of the brass
disc (lower disc) = T2℃. Co-efficient of thermal Fig. 3(b): Moisture absorption% for ESIC1 samples
conductivity of the bad conductor = 'K'. The thermal
conductivity of materials can be predicted by using
mathematical theoretical models. In these methods, the
rule of mixtures and Maxwell equations are one of them.
The formulae for the two methods are shown in Eqns.
(3) and (4). Rule of mixtures,
1 (1−∅1 −∅2 ) ∅1 ∅2
= + + (3)
𝐾ℎ 𝐾𝑚 𝐾𝑔 𝐾𝑓

∅1 and ∅2 = weight percentages of two reinforcements Fig. 3(c): Moisture absorption% for ESIC2 samples
‘g’-indicates thermal conductivity of glass fiber, ‘f’ in
suffix indicates SiC and ‘m’ represents matrix, ‘h’
indicates composite. Maxwell equation for calculating
the thermal conductivity of composites.
𝐾ℎ 3(𝐾𝑓 −𝐾𝑚 ) 3(𝐾𝑔 −𝐾𝑚 )
= 1+[ ] ∅1 + [ ] ∅2 (4)
𝐾𝑚 (𝐾𝑓 +2𝐾𝑚) (𝐾𝑔 +2𝐾𝑚 )

Fig. 3(d): Moisture absorption% for ESIC3 samples

Figs. 4(a, b) made attempt in comparing the

Fig. 2: Lee's disc setup for measuring thermal conductivity
3. Results and discussions
The specimens under hygrothermal conditions have a
drastic change in the water absorption rate in the
specimens. The percentage of water absorption in ESIC0
sample can be observed in Fig. 3(a). The change in the
temperature of the surroundings increases the water
absorption rate within a short time compared to room
temperature conditions. Fig. 3(b) indicates the trend of
water absorption in the composite with SiC 10%, which
has the same effect as the temperature in all the
moisture absorption rate under room temperature i.e.,
28℃ and abnormal temperatures at 150℃. The
temperature effect on the polymer composites shows an
abnormal increase in the moisture absorption rate. In this
hybrid composite SiC presence lowers the moisture
absorption in all conditions. The higher the SiC in the
composite the lower the absorption rate. The effect of
hygrothermal on the composite material properties had a
significant impact. The combined effect of hygro and
thermal, which led to hygrothermal ageing effect,
reduced the material's properties. Fig. 5(a) shows the
specimens' tensile strength at the stated three conditions.
The increase in the temperature increases the moisture
absorption rate, thereby reducing the materials' tensile
strength and flexural properties Fig. 5(b).

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 Saikiran et al. 2023. Int. J. Vehicle Structures & Systems, 15(2), 222-226
Fig. 4(a): % of moisture absorbed in all the specimens at 28℃
Fig. 4(b): % of moisture absorbed in all the specimens at 150℃
Fig. 5(a): Properties of all specimens exposed to hygrothermal
conditions - tensile strength
Fig. 5(b): Properties of all specimens exposed to hygrothermal
conditions - flexural strength
Fig. 5(c): Properties of all specimens exposed to hygrothermal
conditions – hardness
Adding SiC to this composite made a meaningful
effect by resisting the effects caused by the hygrothermal
conditions. The sample with 20% SiC showed better
properties when compared to other composites. ESIC2
sample showed improved properties of 191.4 MPa and
177.1 MPa at the moisture exposer at 80℃ and 150℃.
225
The 30% SiC composite also performed well compared
to 0% and 10% SiC composites. The flexural strength of
ESIC3 exhibited better with values of 113.6 MPa and
108.6 MPa at moisture exposer conditions of 80C and
150℃ when compared to other composites. Due to the
typical conditions of all the specimens, the impact of
moisture absorption has a moderate effect on hardness
properties. The hardness of the specimens increased by
increasing the SiC percentage shown in Fig. 5(c) as the
temperature increases, have a lower impact on the SiC
percentages of 20 and 30. Both ESIC2 and ESIC3
exhibited better results. The ESIC2 recorded hardness
values of 68BHN and 62BHN and ESIC3 70BHN and
65BHN when exposed to moisture at temperatures 80℃
and 150℃.
There is a drastic change in the thermal conductivity
behaviour of the composites when increasing the SiC
percentage. The SiC helped the polymer composite
enhance the conductivity by almost crossing three times
the neat epoxy. Fig. 6 shows the trend of the thermal
conductivity in the specimens. The samples ESIC2 and
ESIC3 had more significant increase in the property. Fig.
6 also compares the experimental data with
mathematically obtained thermal conductivity data. Fig.
7 shows the error % in predicting the material properties
and Maxwell equations show a lower error rate.
Fig. 6: Thermal conductivities from experiment, ROM and
Maxwell equations
Fig. 7: % error in the rule of mixtures (ROM) and Maxwell
equations with respect to experimental values
4. Conclusions
The following conclusions are obtained from the
investigations on the E-glass and SiC epoxy composite
under different conditions. The moisture absorption in
the composites is high at higher temperatures, but adding
SiC in the composite reduced the rate of moisture
abortion even in the unfavourable hygrothermal
conditions. The hygrothermal conditions had a
significant influence on lowering the properties of the
composites. SiC 20% and 30% in the composites
 Saikiran et al. 2023. Int. J. Vehicle Structures & Systems, 15(2), 222-226
enhanced the properties even in hygrothermal
conditions. The tensile strength and flexural strength of
the samples exposed to 150℃ for 168 hrs showed poor
performance. But the SiC in ESIC2 and ESIC3 recorded
better values than ESIC0 and ESIC1. There is a
reduction in the hardness of the samples under
hygrothermal conditions. And this reduction can be
minimized by adding SiC to the composite.
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