TESTING AND MEASURING Comparison of Methods for Measuring the Thermal Diffusivi ty of Unfilled and Filled Natural Rubbers 

A comparison between two measurement techniques for determining the thermal diffusivity of unfilled and filled NR samples is considered: the laser flash apparatus from Netzsch Gerätebau GmbH and an in-house method developed at Deutsches Institut für Kautschuktechnologie. The test temperature ranges between 60°C and 140°C. The measured thermal diffusivity, α , is on average for the filled NR samples and for the unfilled NR samples. The results obtained reveal particularly good agreement between the two techniques. 

The number of advanced engineering materials used in high-temperature applications is continuously rising. Knowledge of their thermophysical properties becomes an absolute necessity to sustain accurate use.