Review—Recent Advances in Thermally Conductive Paper-Like Films

Abstract

Polymer nanocomposites have been extensively used in the electronic industry as thermal interface materials (TIMs) and thermal management materials owing to their sought-after properties related to thermal conductivity and electrical insulation. Typical TIMs include thermal pads and grease; however, thermal papers/films are rapidly getting popular for their remarkable properties like mechanical strength and extraordinary thermal conductivity (TC). Papery films with merits, including simple processing reduced optimized thickness, and enhanced flexibility, are emerging as a new class of materials for thermal management applications in electronics. Thus, even higher loading concentrations of thermally conductive fillers, as high as 95 wt.%, could achieve a tremendous TC with practically no deterioration in the mechanical integrity of composite films, something that was previously known to be a major problem in conventional polymer nanocomposites. In this review, we shall highlight and discuss the latest progress in thermally conductive papers/tapes/thin films and their possible impact on the next-generation electronic components relying on advanced nanotechnologies, and, discuss how these advancements have helped resolving the setbacks related to conventional thermal interface materials, thereby making the thermally conductive thin films/papers a viable solution for future microelectronics.