Thermal Conductivity of Graphene-Polymer Composites: Mechanisms, Properties, and Applications

Polymers (Basel). 2017 Sep 15;9(9):437. doi: 10.3390/polym9090437.

Abstract

With the integration and miniaturization of electronic devices, thermal management has become a crucial issue that strongly affects their performance, reliability, and lifetime. One of the current interests in polymer-based composites is thermal conductive composites that dissipate the thermal energy produced by electronic, optoelectronic, and photonic devices and systems. Ultrahigh thermal conductivity makes graphene the most promising filler for thermal conductive composites. This article reviews the mechanisms of thermal conduction, the recent advances, and the influencing factors on graphene-polymer composites (GPC). In the end, we also discuss the applications of GPC in thermal engineering. This article summarizes the research on graphene-polymer thermal conductive composites in recent years and provides guidance on the preparation of composites with high thermal conductivity.

Keywords: applications; graphene; mechanisms; polymer composites; properties; thermal conductivity.

Publication types

  • Review