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Thermal Conductivity Performance of Polypropylene Composites Filled with Polydopamine-Functionalized Hexagonal Boron
Lin Chen1, Hong-Fei Xu1, Shao-Jian He2
1Key Laboratory of Condition Monitoring and Control for Power Plant Equipment of Ministry of Education, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, China.
Plos One
|January 21, 2017
Summary
Mussel-inspired dopamine coatings enhance boron nitride (BN) thermal conductivity in composites. Functionalized BN (f-BN) with polypropylene (PP) improved heat transfer by better dispersion and compatibility.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Enhancing thermal conductivity in polymer composites is crucial for thermal management applications.
- Boron nitride (BN) offers excellent intrinsic thermal conductivity but suffers from poor dispersion and interfacial resistance in polymer matrices.
- Developing effective surface functionalization strategies for BN is key to unlocking its potential in composites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a mussel-inspired, non-covalent functionalization method for boron nitride (BN) using self-polymerized dopamine.
- To investigate the effect of functionalized BN (f-BN) on the thermal conductivity of polypropylene (PP) composites.
- To analyze the relationship between filler dispersion, interfacial compatibility, and thermal performance using theoretical models.
Main Methods:
- Surface functionalization of BN using dopamine polymerization inspired by mussel adhesive proteins.
- Fabrication of polypropylene (PP) composites filled with pristine BN and f-BN, with and without maleic anhydride grafted PP (PP-g-ma).
- Measurement of composite thermal conductivity and morphological analysis (e.g., filler dispersion, aggregation).
- Application of theoretical models (e.g., Nielsen model) to predict and analyze thermal conductivity.
Main Results:
- Dopamine functionalization significantly improved BN dispersion and filler-matrix compatibility in PP composites.
- PP composites containing f-BN and PP-g-ma exhibited substantially higher thermal conductivity compared to those with pristine BN.
- The Nielsen model accurately predicted the composite thermal conductivity, correlating well with observed filler aggregation.
Conclusions:
- Mussel-inspired dopamine functionalization is an effective strategy to reduce interfacial thermal resistance and enhance BN composite thermal conductivity.
- Improved filler dispersion and interfacial compatibility are critical for developing efficient thermal pathways in BN-containing composites.
- Theoretical modeling provides valuable insights into filler morphology and its impact on the overall thermal performance of composites.
