Robust, Self-Healing, and Multi-Use Poly(Urethane-Urea-Imide) Elastomer as a Durable Adhesive for Thermal Interface...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Current thermal interface materials (TIMs) research prioritizes thermal conductivity.
• Adhesion and multifunctionality are crucial for stable heat conduction but often overlooked.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a novel poly(urethane-urea-imide) (PUUI) elastomer for TIM applications.
• To investigate its adhesion, self-healing, and thermal properties.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a PUUI elastomer with dynamic hydrogen bonds and disulfide linkages.
• Characterization of adhesion strength, self-healing efficiency, and thermal conductivity.
• Evaluation as an adhesive-type TIM.

Main Results:

• PUUI exhibits strong adhesion (7.39 MPa) to metal substrates and self-adaptation at 80 °C.
• Achieved 94% mechanical property recovery after 6h self-healing at room temperature.
• Composited PUUI with hybrid fillers reached 3.87 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ thermal conductivity and low thermal contact resistance (22.1 mm² K W⁻¹).

Conclusions:

• The developed PUUI elastomer offers a promising alternative to conventional TIMs.
• Highlights the importance of adhesion and self-healing for advanced TIMs.
• Provides new insights for developing reliable and sustainable TIMs.