Thermally conductive polymer nanocomposites for thermal management of electronic packaging

Abstract

Graphite particles filled high density polyethylene (HDPE) conductive polymer nanocomposites were prepared by melt mixing process. The conductive filler which consists of graphite particles (average particle size of 400 nm) were mixed with the HDPE matrix at different weight percentage (wt%) up to 30 wt% in a Brabender Plasticorder PLE 331 internal mixer at 180°C for 15 min. Various thermophysical properties of HDPE/graphite nanocomposites, such as thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, electrical conductivity, mechanical properties were investigated. Thermal conductivities were measured using transient plane source technique and the results obtained were compared with already existing models. Thermal conductivity increased from 0.53 W/m.K for pure HDPE to 2.64 W/m.K for 30 wt% of graphite particles. Heat capacities were measured using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The percolation threshold for electrical conductivity is 16wt% of graphite particle filler; the electrical conductivity increas ed from 8.07×10−14 S.cm−1 for neat HDPE to 2.02×10−4 S.cm−1 for composites with 30 wt% of graphite particles.