Preparation of functionalized boron nitride sheets/epoxy resin composites by using a green and efficient approach for elevated thermal conductivity

Abstract With the rapid evolution of integrated circuits and electronic devices, considerable research efforts are dedicated to thermally conductive but electrically insulative composites that may successfully allay “hot spot” concerns during device operation. In this study, a green, cheaply and effective method was proposed to improve thermal conductivity coefficient (λ) of boron nitride/epoxy composites by modifying boron nitride sheet (BN) surface with TACu nanoparticles that synthesized from tannic acid (TA) and copper sulphate. As a result, the TACu nanoparticles and BN work in concert to improve the thermal conductivity of the BN/epoxy composite. The ideal thermal conductivity coefficient, 1.61 W/mK, was present when the mass fraction of the created filler, BN@TACu, is 30 wt%. This value is 7.3 times higher than that of pure epoxy resin (0.22 W/mK) and significantly higher than the reported BN/epoxy composites containing 30 wt% fillers. Moreover, the interface compatibility between BN and epoxy resin is also significantly improved by the TACu nanoparticles on BN surfaces, giving the composites improved thermal and mechanical characteristics. This technology for BN surface modification has a lot of practical potential in the present electronic sector since it is relatively straightforward and easy to scale up.