Simultaneously Improved Thermal and Dielectric Performance of Epoxy Composites Containing Ti₃C₂T_x Platelet Fillers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Polymer composites are crucial for electric and energy applications due to their tunable properties.
• MXene materials, particularly Ti₃C₂T_x, offer unique characteristics for property enhancement.
• Developing epoxy composites with superior thermal and dielectric performance is an ongoing research area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize epoxy composites incorporating Ti₃C₂T_x MXene fillers.
• To investigate the impact of Ti₃C₂T_x on the thermal conductivity and dielectric properties of epoxy composites.
• To evaluate the potential of these composites for advanced applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of epoxy composites filled with Ti₃C₂T_x using direct etching.
• Measurement of through-plane and in-plane thermal conductivity.
• Characterization of dielectric permittivity and dielectric losses.
• Varying filler content to optimize composite properties.

Main Results:

• Anisotropic thermal conductivity was observed, with in-plane conductivity significantly higher than through-plane.
• At 40 wt% Ti₃C₂T_x, through-plane thermal conductivity increased 2.92 times and in-plane conductivity increased 10.65 times compared to neat epoxy.
• Dielectric permittivity increased by approximately 2.25 times, while dielectric losses remained low (0.02).

Conclusions:

• Ti₃C₂T_x effectively enhances both thermal and dielectric properties of epoxy composites.
• The anisotropic nature of thermal conductivity is attributed to the platelet structure of Ti₃C₂T_x.
• Further improvements are anticipated with optimized Ti₃C₂T_x nanoflakes for enhanced material performance.