Synthesis of silica-coated graphite by enolization of polyvinylpyrrolidone and its thermal and electrical conductivity in polymer composites

Silica-coated graphite flakes, which have electrical insulating property and high thermal conductivity, were synthesized by a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-assisted sol-gel reaction. The critical role of keto-enol tautomerism of PVP in base-catalyzed silica sol-gel reaction was elucidated. The degree of silica coating on graphite was controlled by the amount of PVP and silica precursor, tetraethyl orthosilicate. The silica-coated graphite was used as a filler in thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE). The in-plane (Lambda) and through-plane (Lambda(perpendicular to)) thermal conductivity values of silica-coated graphite/TPEE composites are 67.5% and 86.6% of those of raw graphite/TPEE at 80 phr loading. Even after a severe mixing process under high shear at elevated temperature, silica-coated graphite/TPEE composites retain the perfectly insulating surface resistivity of >10(13) Omega/sq up to high filler contents. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.