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Effective three-dimensional thermal conductivity networks in polystyrene/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/aluminum oxide@hexagonal boron nitride composites based on synergistic effects and isolated structures

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A Correction to this article was published on 01 August 2023

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Abstract

Enhancing the thermal conductivity (λ) of composites by establishing an effective thermally conductive path is the key to prepare thermally conductive composites. In this study, a new preparation method was used to achieve high λ of composites with low filler contents. Firstly, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and alumina (Al2O3) established a synergistic thermal conductivity network in the polystyrene particles, and subsequently, the hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) filler wrapped in the outer layer of the composite particles constructed a continuous h-BN thermal conductivity network during the hot-pressing process. The three-dimensional thermal conductivity network supported by the two thermal conductivity networks provided more pathways for heat transfer in the composite, thus significantly improving its λ. The λ of the composites increased to 3.36 W/mK for MWCNT content of 0.5 wt%, Al2O3 content of 0.5 wt%, and h-BN content of 30 wt%. The composite also has good insulating properties, with a conductivity value of only 3.21 × 10−9 S/cm at an h-BN content of 30 wt% and MWCNT content of 0.5 wt%. This results from the presence of a h-BN insulation layer on the outside of the composite sphere and the presence of Al2O3 in the synergistic network that blocks the electron transport inside the material, thus maintaining its good insulating properties. Therefore, the composite prepared in this paper has the potential to be used in the field of electronic packaging.

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Funding

Heilongjiang Province Postdoctoral Funded Project (LBH-Q21019), Heilongjiang Natural Science Foundation (LH2020E087). Financial support from Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2023R18), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Author notes

  1. Zhengfang Wang and Zijian Wu have equal contribution.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Material Science and Technology, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin, 150040, China

    Zhengfang Wang, Zijian Wu, Ling Weng, Changjie Yang & Mingqi Sun

  2. Key Laboratory of Engineering Dielectric and Its Application Technology of Ministry of Education, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin, 150040, China

    Zijian Wu & Ling Weng

  3. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia

    Najla AlMasoud & Taghrid S. Alomar

  4. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, 11884, Cairo, Egypt

    Zeinhom M. El-Bahy

  5. Dongfang Electrical Machinery Co., Ltd, Deyang, 618000, China

    Mingpeng He

  6. Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK

    Priyanka Wasnik & Handong Li

  7. Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Najran University, Najran, 11001, Saudi Arabia

    Hassan Algadi

  8. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China

    Hassan Algadi

  9. Chemical and Petrochemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering and Architecture, University of Nizwa, Birkat Al Mouz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman

    Sri Hari Kumar Annamareddy

  10. Zentek Ltd. 24 Corporate Crt, Guelph, ON, N1G 5G5, Canada

    Deepak Sridhar

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  1. Zhengfang Wang
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  2. Zijian Wu
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Contributions

Zijian Wu produced original idea and designed the experiment. Zhengfang Wang and Changjie Yang performed experimental synthesis and characterizations. Zijian Wu, Mingqi Sun, Ling Weng, Priyanka Wasnik, Handong Li, and Hassan Algadi discussed the results and analyzed experimental data. Sri Hari Kumar Annamareddy and Deepak Sridhar revised the manuscript. All the authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Zijian Wu or Ling Weng.

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Wang, Z., Wu, Z., AlMasoud, N. et al. Effective three-dimensional thermal conductivity networks in polystyrene/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/aluminum oxide@hexagonal boron nitride composites based on synergistic effects and isolated structures. Adv Compos Hybrid Mater 6, 125 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42114-023-00702-8

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