Texture-controlled hybrid materials fabricated using nanosecond technology

Abstract

The controlled assembly of micro- and nano-ceramic fillers in polymer nanocomposites provides robust properties such as wetting, adhesion, thermal conductivity, electrical insulation and optical activity, and enable the extended application of these hybrid materials as thermal interfacing materials in microelectronics and for energy conversion. However, the required properties can only be obtained either by homogeneous mixing or by anisotropic orientation of a large amount (>50vol.%)of expensive fillers, which is economically inefficient. Here we propose a strategy for tuning the orientation and assembly of ceramic boron nitride nanofillers in a polymer nanocomposite using a small amount (<5 vol.%)of filler to enhance thermal conduction. The texture of the BN fillers is tuned by application of a nanosecond pulse electric field and a superconductor magnetic field (10 T); the three-dimensional structure of the products was analyzed using 3-D X-ray CT scanning. The enhanced anisotropic orientation and thermal properties of the products were assessed as a function of the structural variation of the boron nitride fillers in the polymer.