Thermally Conductive Ceramic-Polymer Composite with Planar Fillers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermally conductive polymer composites require high volumes of metal fillers for effective thermal conductivity, which increases cost and reduces mechanical properties, and fail to provide adequate electrical insulation, making them unsuitable for electronic systems and secondary batteries.
Innovation Solution
A thermally conductive ceramic-polymer composite is developed where planar fragments of ceramic fillers, such as boron nitride or aluminum nitride, are surface-treated with coupling agents and uniformly dispersed on the grain boundaries of thermoplastic polymer particles, forming chemical bonds and creating a thermal pathway, thereby achieving excellent thermal conductivity with minimal filler content and ensuring electrical insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a considerable amount of thermally conductive filler is dispersed into epoxy- or silicon-based resin, then thermal conductivity is improved, but cost increases and viscosity sharply increases causing mechanical and molding properties to decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle morphology parameter from conventional spherical or irregular shapes to plate-like structures with specific aspect ratios. This morphological parameter change enables effective thermal conduction pathways to form at lower filler concentrations, improving thermal conductivity while maintaining lower viscosity and better molding properties compared to conventional fillers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining plate-like thermally conductive ceramic particles (such as aluminum nitride or boron nitride) with polymer resin matrix. The specific composite structure with controlled particle distribution and orientation achieves optimal thermal conductivity without the excessive filler loading that would otherwise be required, thus maintaining good mechanical and molding properties
2Temperature
If metal particles are used as thermally conductive filler, then thermal conductivity is improved, but electrical insulation is lost requiring separate fuse devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameter from metallic fillers to ceramic fillers (aluminum nitride, boron nitride, silicon nitride). These ceramic materials inherently possess both high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties, eliminating the need for separate fuse devices while maintaining effective heat dissipation functionality
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional mixing methods are used to prepare thermally conductive ceramic-polymer composite, then manufacturing is simplified, but sufficient thermal pathways cannot be constructed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary surface treatment to the plate-like ceramic particles before mixing with the polymer resin. This preliminary action of surface modification enhances particle-resin interfacial adhesion and promotes better dispersion, which facilitates the formation of effective thermal conduction pathways during subsequent processing without requiring complex manufacturing steps
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite exhibits enhanced thermal conductivity and electrical insulation, reducing the need for separate insulation devices and enabling lightweight, efficient heat dissipation in electronic systems and secondary batteries, suitable for high-capacity electric vehicles and compact electronic components.
Implementation Method 1
it is necessary to develop the thermally conductive polymer composite material in which the thermal pathway of the thermally conductive fillers in the polymer matrix of the composite material is formed, and which uses a method of forming chemical bonds at the interface between the ceramic filler and the polymer matrix
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a thermally conductive ceramic-polymer composite in which thermoplastic polymers form a matrix, and planar fragments of thermally conductive ceramic or thermally conductive ceramic powder is uniformly dispersed on a grain boundary between thermoplastic polymer particles, thereby forming a thermal pathway, wherein the thermoplastic polymer particles are formed in a faceted shape, and the average size of the planar fragments of thermally conductive ceramic or thermally conductive ceramic powder is smaller than 1/10 of that of the thermoplastic polymer particles, and a method of preparing the same. Accordingly, since dispersion and interfacial affinity of a thermally conductive ceramic filler are maximized, excellent electrical insulation and excellent thermal conductivity can be exhibited even with a small content of the thermally conductive ceramic filler.