Abstract
The thermally conductive properties of silicone thermal grease enhanced by hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanosheets as a filler are relevant to the field of lightweight polymer-based thermal interface materials. However, the enhancements are restricted by the amount of hBN nanosheets added, owing to a dramatic increase in the viscosity of silicone thermal grease. To this end, a rational structural design of the filler is needed to ensure the viable development of the composite material. Using reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as substrate, three-dimensional (3D) heterostructured reduced graphene oxide-hexagonal boron nitride (RGO-hBN)-stacking material was constructed by self-assembly of hBN nanosheets on the surface of RGO with the assistance of binder for silicone thermal grease. Compared with hBN nanosheets, 3D RGO-hBN more effectively improves the thermally conductive properties of silicone thermal grease, which is attributed to the introduction of graphene and its phonon-matching structural characteristics. RGO-hBN/silicone thermal grease with lower viscosity exhibits higher thermal conductivity, lower thermal resistance and better thermal management capability than those of hBN/silicone thermal grease at the same filler content. It is feasible to develop polymer-based thermal interface materials with good thermal transport performance for heat removal of modern electronics utilising graphene-supported hBN as the filler at low loading levels.
Highlights
Facing the trend of continuing miniaturisation and high-power densification of microelectronics, strategies and techniques for more efficient heat removal are becoming increasingly desirable and necessary in order to help develop new innovative techniques and technologically advance in the modern electronics industry
One type of novel 3D structure combining with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) was fabricated successfully using a rational structural design and investigated as filler for silicone thermal grease
The viscosity of silicone thermal grease filled with 3D reduced graphene oxide-hexagonal boron nitride (RGO-hBN) had a much lower value than that of filled hBN nanosheets at the same filler content
Summary
Facing the trend of continuing miniaturisation and high-power densification of microelectronics, strategies and techniques for more efficient heat removal are becoming increasingly desirable and necessary in order to help develop new innovative techniques and technologically advance in the modern electronics industry. Thermal interface materials have played an important role in terms of thermal management due to their heat conducting capabilities. These materials can be categorised into several types according to different properties and applications [1]. In view of their easy processing, light weight, inexpensiveness and excellent electrical insulation, considerable interest has been focused on polymer-based thermal interface materials [2,3,4]. Silicone thermal grease is a typical polymer-based thermal interface material containing silicone and thermal conductive fillers, usually used to take the place of air and bond the jointed solid contact surfaces of heat sink and devices so as to dissipate heat. Significant improvement of thermally conductive properties mainly relies on the loading of fillers, such as ceramics [5], metals [6], carbon materials [7] and their hybrid particles [8]
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