Abstract
This paper presents a method to enhance thermal conductivity using poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA), polystyrene(PS) blends, and incorporation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs are selectively localized in PMMA phase to improve conductive properties. In addition, Surface of MWCNTs was treated with PMMA to enhance affinity between matrix and filler. PMMA grafting helps filler localization on matrix phase. Composites using two polymers enhanced thermal conductivity by ~11% compared with composites using only PS or PMMA. Also, PMMA grafting on the surface of MWCNTs enhanced thermal conductivity by ~13% compared with samples without PMMA grafting.
Highlights
Thermal management is important for the reliability, lifespan, and performance of electronic devices.While the miniaturization and integration of electronic materials like light-emitting diodes is proceeding, thermal diffusion is becoming critical
The lack of dispersibility in universal organic solvents lowers the availability of carbon nanotubes; Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are regarded to be inert for many chemical reactions
The reason of broad band at 3400–3500 cm−1 is presence of O–H groups on the surface of pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and is believed to result from either moisture in the air being tightly bound to the MWCNTs or reaction with oxygen during refinement of the pristine MWCNTs
Summary
Thermal management is important for the reliability, lifespan, and performance of electronic devices. ‘grafting from’ means the covalent attachment of the prepolymers on the surface of the MWCNTs and polymer chain elongation with monomers. Using this method, polymers will develop on the surface of the MWCNTs. In general, high filler loading is required for high heat dissipation performance of composites, but high filler loading often aggravates processability and mechanical properties. PS and PMMA are immiscible with each other, causing phase separation [10,11] At this situation, incorporated MWCNTs are localized in favorable polymer. This phenomenon helps enhancement of thermal conductivity.
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