Thermal Conductivity of Polyimide/carbon Nanofiller Blends

INTRODUCTION Combining polymers with an organic or inorganic filler to produce a polymer composite is common in the production and processing of modern plastics. Recently, filler sizes have been reduced to nanometer dimensions resulting in a new class of materials termed polymer nanocomposites (PNC). PNCs are commonly defined as the combination of a polymer matrix resin with inclusions that have at least one dimension in the nanometer size range [i]. PNCs exhibit significant enhancements in certain properties at a far lower concentration than their conventional micro or macro counterparts. Layered clay, expanded graphite, carbon nanofibers and carbon nanotubes are some of the common nanoparticles used in making PNCs.