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Pyrene-Functionalized PDMS Dispersant Enables High-Loading Graphite/PDMS Composites with Enhanced Thermal
Yoojung Choi1,2, Jeongmin Jo1, Yongchan Jang1
1Electronic Convergence Materials & Device Research Center, Korea Electronics Technology Institute, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
Macromolecular Rapid Communications
|August 17, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a new dispersant for polymer nanocomposites, improving thermal conductivity and processability for advanced electronics. This innovation enhances thermal management materials by reducing viscosity in high-loading composites.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Next-generation electronics require efficient thermal management due to miniaturization and increased power density.
- Polymer nanocomposites are promising for thermal interface materials (TIMs) but face processability challenges at high filler loadings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop high-loading graphite/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites with enhanced thermal conductivity and processability.
- To design a pyrene-functionalized polydimethylsiloxane (PyPDMS) dispersant for improved graphite dispersion and rheological properties.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized pyrene-functionalized polydimethylsiloxane (PyPDMS) as an interfacial modifier.
- Incorporated PyPDMS into graphite/PDMS composites to reduce agglomeration and viscosity.
- Fabricated composites with up to 50 wt.% graphite loading and evaluated their thermal conductivity and rheological properties.
Main Results:
- PyPDMS dispersant significantly reduced composite viscosity by up to 1.6-fold.
- Achieved uniform composite fabrication with high graphite loadings (up to 50 wt.%) without compromising processability.
- Composites exhibited a 10.57% increase in thermal conductivity compared to those without PyPDMS, while maintaining flexibility.
Conclusions:
- The developed PyPDMS dispersant enables the fabrication of highly processable, high-loading graphite/PDMS composites.
- This approach offers a practical solution for advanced thermal interface materials (TIMs) in demanding electronic applications.
- The study highlights the potential of tailored interfacial modifiers for optimizing nanocomposite performance.
