Exploring Trade-offs in Thermal Interface Materials: The Impact of Polymer-Filler Interfaces on Thermal Conductivity and Thixotropy

Bin Zhang; Zheng-Li Dou; Yong-Zheng Zhang; Qiang Fu; Kai Wu

doi:10.1007/s10118-024-3101-0

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Exploring Trade-offs in Thermal Interface Materials: The Impact of Polymer-Filler Interfaces on Thermal Conductivity and Thixotropy

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2024-03-18

- Exploring Trade-offs in Thermal Interface Materials: The Impact of Polymer-Filler Interfaces on Thermal Conductivity and Thixotropy
- Chinese Journal of Polymer Science Vol. 42, Pages: 1-10(2024)
- Affiliations：
  
  College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- Author bio：
  
  kaiwu@scu.edu.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-024-3101-0
  CLC：
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Zhang, B.; Dou, Z. L.; Zhang, Y. Z.; Fu, Q.; Wu, K. Exploring trade-offs in thermal interface materials: the impact of polymer-filler interfaces on thermal conductivity and thixotropy. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-024-3101-0

Bin Zhang, Zheng-Li Dou, Yong-Zheng Zhang, et al. Exploring Trade-offs in Thermal Interface Materials: The Impact of Polymer-Filler Interfaces on Thermal Conductivity and Thixotropy. [J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science 421-10(2024)
Zhang, B.; Dou, Z. L.; Zhang, Y. Z.; Fu, Q.; Wu, K. Exploring trade-offs in thermal interface materials: the impact of polymer-filler interfaces on thermal conductivity and thixotropy. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-024-3101-0 DOI：

Bin Zhang, Zheng-Li Dou, Yong-Zheng Zhang, et al. Exploring Trade-offs in Thermal Interface Materials: The Impact of Polymer-Filler Interfaces on Thermal Conductivity and Thixotropy. [J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science 421-10(2024) DOI： 10.1007/s10118-024-3101-0.

摘要

Abstract

Effective thermal transport across solid-solid interfaces

essential in thermal interface materials (TIMs)

necessitates both optimal thixotropy and high thermal conductivity. The role of filler surface modification

a fundamental aspect of TIM fabrication

in influencing these properties is not fully understood. This study employs the use of a silane coupling agent (SCA) to modify alumina

integrating experimental approaches with molecular dynamics simulations

to elucidate the interface effects on thixotropy and thermal conductivity in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based TIMs. Our findings reveal that varying SCAs modify both interface binding energy and transition layer thickness. The interface binding energy restricts macromolecular segmental relaxation near the interface

hindering desirable thixotropy and bond line thickness. Conversely

the transition layer thickness at the interface positively influences thermal conductivity

facilitating phonon transport between the polymer and filler. Consequently

selecting an optimal SCA enables a balance between traditionally conflicting goals of high thermal conductivity and minimal bond line thickness

achieving an impressively low interface thermal resistance of just 2.45−4.29 K·mm

·W

−1

at 40 psi.

关键词

Keywords

Thermal interface materialSurface modificationThermal conductivityThixotropyInterface thermal resistance

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