RGO/TPU composite with a segregated structure as thermal interface material

Thermal management has become a serious problem with the development of electronics, where thermal interface material (TIM) is crucial for heat transfer from the device to heat sink. In this work, reduced graphene oxide/thermoplastic polyurethane (RGO/TPU) composites with a segregated structure were proposed and prepared by a simple method to obtain superior thermal conductive property and used as TIM. The microstructures and thermal properties of RGO/TPU composites were characterized, as well as heat transfer performance and thermal fatigue resistance. The obtained composite, at an ultralow graphene loading of 1.04 wt.%, exhibits a high thermal conductivity (0.8 W m(-1) K-1). Furthermore, the composite as a TIM presents a good performance in practical application and has a stable performance in the thermal cycling test. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.