Properties of Natural Rubber Nanocomposites Loaded With AgCu Nanoparticles Decorated rGO Hybrid Filler for Thermal Management in Electronics Application

ABSTRACT Reduced graphene oxide (rGO)‐loaded natural rubber (NR) composites have garnered significant interest in electronics due to their excellent thermal and mechanical properties. Recently, hybrid fillers in NR composites have attracted considerable attention in advanced electronic packaging. While various hybrid filler combinations have been explored, AgCu nanoparticle‐decorated rGO fillers had not been investigated prior to this study. Here, chemically synthesized AgCu nanoparticles were decorated onto rGO to form a hybrid filler within an NR matrix. The properties of the AgCu‐rGO/NR nanocomposite films were systematically characterized based on hybrid filler loadings. The hybrid filler altered the film's structural behavior, with significant agglomeration observed at higher filler concentrations. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence and influence of the hybrid fillers on the composite's structure. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed an improved maximum degradation temperature ( T max ) in all AgCu‐rGO/NR nanocomposites. Among the tested compositions, the AgCu4 sample exhibited the highest Young's modulus (2.153 MPa). Furthermore, IR thermography demonstrated that the AgCu‐rGO/NR nanocomposites outperformed both pure NR and a commercial thermal pad in heat transfer efficiency. Notably, the AgCu2 and AgCu3 samples displayed the best thermal performance across varying heat source temperatures. Overall, the AgCu‐rGO/NR composite shows promise as a highly efficient material for thermal management applications.