Through-thickness thermal conductivity characterisation of dry carbon fibre fabric.

• Measured through-thickness thermal conductivity of 2 × 2 twill carbon fabric using C-Therm Trident system with MTPS sensor. • Thermal conductivity is reduced by 38% under vacuum, attributed to presence of air in the porous structure of the fabric. • Layup thickness/configuration have negligible impact on thermal conductivity due to limited heat penetration. • Higher fabric compaction increases thermal conductivity owing to improved fibre nesting and contact. For high-fidelity simulation of heat transfer responses during various composite manufacturing processes involving heat, thermal conductivity (TC) of dry carbon weaves is essential. In this paper, the through-thickness TC properties of a 2 × 2 carbon twill weave are presented, employing a state-of-the-art C-Therm Trident module equipped with a Modified Transient Plane Source (MTPS) sensor. The effects of air presence, layup thickness, layup configuration, and fabric compaction on TC are investigated. Results reveal negligible impacts of layer number and configuration on TC. However, TC is significantly influenced by air presence and stack compaction. These findings provide improved comprehension of heat transfer in textile composites for more accurate process modelling and simulation using homogenized models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]