3D‐printed surface‐modified aluminum nitride reinforced thermally conductive composites with enhanced thermal conductivity and mechanical strength

Abstract

With the rapid miniaturization of electronic devices, novel thermally conductive composite materials are required for efficient thermal management. In this study, a straightforward strategy to fabricate thermally conductive composites, based on UV‐curable acrylate polymer using the DLP technique, was explored. Aluminum nitride (AlN), a ceramic filler with high thermal conductivity and mechanical strength, was functionalized with an acrylate bearing silane compound. This improved the interfacial adhesion between the filler and matrix, resulting in enhanced thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity of the composite with 30 wt.% modified AlN was 0.42 W/mK, which is 3.5 times higher than that of neat UV‐cured acrylate resin (0.12 W/mK). The tensile strength also increased from 13.9 to 20.8 MPa before and after surface treatment due to improved filler‐matrix compatibility. The study demonstrates that 3D‐printing can be easily integrated into the fabrication of thermally conductive composites and filler surface modification can effectively enhance the thermal and mechanical strength of the composite.

3D Printing Interconnected Segregated Composites To Simultaneously Enhance Thermal Conductivity and Mechanical Properties

“…As previously mentioned, the particles, segregated by the 3D-printed scaffold, come into contact and form continuous thermally conductive networks, thereby providing an improved pathway for heat flow when the filler concentration continues to rise . In Figure d, a comparison is made between the TC of our 3D-printed composites and other reported thermal conductive composites. ,− Various approaches, including 3D printing, comixing, and hot pressing, have been employed to enhance both the TC and tensile strength of composites. The comparison highlights that our composites, prepared through prefabricated heat pathways and hot pressing, demonstrated significantly high TC and mechanical properties.…”

Deterministic Manipulation of Heat Flow via Three-Dimensional-Printed Thermal Meta-Materials for Multiple Protection of Critical Components

“…The orientation principle of DLP 3D printing used in this study is limited domain orientation, a common 2D filler orientation method, such as the hot-pressing method, pressing roller method, extrusion 3D printing method, and so forth. The heat conduction percolation theory is used to describe the phenomenon that when the volume of the thermally conductive filler exceeds a certain critical permeability threshold (usually 30 vol%) to form a thermal conduction network, the thermal conductivity changes abruptly. , The required volume fraction of percolation can be reduced by BN orientation, as reported in the literature. − Domain-limited orientation can effectively reduce the critical percolation volume fraction, and Table lists three parameters of critical percolation volume fraction V C , confinement space D, and BN particle diameter under the confinement orientation process. For the convenience of comparison, the mass fractions were converted into volume fractions.…”

“…Mao et al have used the filler model to get a thermal conductivity of 1.381 W/(m·K) by guiding the thermally conductive particles . Composite that has high in-plane thermal conductivity has been prepared via various orientation methods (hot-pressing, , electro-spinning, − vacuum filtration, 3D printing, − magnetic alignment, , etc.). Hu et al obtained BN composites by the rolling strategy, and the thermal conductivity of the composites reached 7.62 W/(m·K) at 60 wt% BN content .…”

Proportional Optimization Model of Multiscale Spherical BN for Enhancing Thermal Conductivity

“…into the polymer matrix. A large number of novel methods for constructing 3D thermal conductivity networks in polymers have been developed, such as hot-pressing, electrospinning, − vacuum filtration, 3D printing, − etc. However, most of the above preparation methods require expensive auxiliary equipment, a complicated preparation process, a high production cost, and uncontrollable quality, which are unsuitable for large-scale industrial manufacture.…”