Abstract
Inspired by mussel adhesion proteins, boron nitride (BN) particles coated with homogeneous polydopamine (BNPDA) were prepared, and through an annealing process, a carbonized PDA layer on the surface of BN was obtained, which exhibited a nanocrystalline graphite-like structure. The effect of carbonization of PDA coating layer on BN particles was characterized by various analytical techniques including SEM, TEM, Raman spectroscopy, and XPS. When the resulting particles were used as a thermally conductive filler for polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films, enhanced thermal conductivity was observed compared to raw BN composite due to the ordered structure and improved solubility in water. Furthermore, the homogeneous dispersion of the filler and excellent flexibility of the modified composite film with 21 wt % filler may be attributed to compatibility with the PVA chain. As the whole fabrication process did not use toxic chemicals (mainly water was used as the solvent), it may contribute to green and sustainable chemistry.
Highlights
Polydopamine (PDA) coating inspired by mussel adhesive proteins has attracted wide interest because of its simple fabrication process and excellent coating ability on almost all types of substrates [1].PDA is prepared by the self-polymerization of dopamine (DA) in an alkaline aqueous solution [2]
BN coated with PDA (BNPDA) particles were synthesized by the self-polymerization of DA at an alkaline pH based on previously reported methods [14,21]
12, 1410 revealed that BNPDA annealed at 400 °C still had a rough surface, and the area peeled off by external force had a smooth surface of pristine boron nitride (BN), indicating the presence of the PDA layer (Figure 1h)
Summary
Polydopamine (PDA) coating inspired by mussel adhesive proteins has attracted wide interest because of its simple fabrication process and excellent coating ability on almost all types of substrates [1]. Ryu et al [12] developed a carbon nanotube fiber coated with carbonized PDA having high mechanical strength and electrical conductivity up to 5000 Scm−1. Ma et al [14] reported the enhanced mechanical strength and conductivity of graphene-based fibers with carbonized PDA coating. Due to rapid growth in modern electronic devices with miniaturization and high-density integration, thermally conductive polymer composites have attracted increasing attention due to their potential in addressing heat dissipation problems [15,16]. PVA was chosen as the polymer matrix in the present study due to its water solubility, superior mechanical properties including flexibility, and abundant hydrogen bonds, which are compatible with the catechol group of PDA [20]. BN coated with carbonized PDA (carbonized BNPDA) at various temperatures, was examined and compared with that of pristine BNPDA and raw BN composite films
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