Work

Processing–Structure–Property Relationships in Polymer/Boron Nitride Nanotube Composite Fibers for Electronic Packaging Applications

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Boron nitride nanotubes are promising materials for polymeric composites due to their electrical insulation and thermal conductivity properties. In this work, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are dispersed in a polymer solution that is then spun and drawn to make polymeric fibers with aligned bundles of long BNNTs. These polymer/BNNT fibers are then studied to determine the relationship among processing, structure, and properties. A sonication-centrifuge procedure was conducted to preserve longer BNNTs within the polymer structure and improve the alignment of BNNTs within the fiber. Herein, changes in the internal structure of PAN/BNNT fiber are mapped, highlighting the importance of the dry-jet wet spinning air gap and cold and hot drawing stages to achieve high orientation of BNNTs and a higher draw ratio of 25x. These fibers can be used to produce thermally conductive, electrically insulating composites, which have significant applications in electronics. This approach is scalable and can also be used to produce high-performance neat BNNT fibers.

Source: ACS Applied Nano Materials

DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.5c02920

Authors: Casey L. Smith, Keenan J. Mintz, Kishor Gupta, Anita Garg, Laura Wilson, Satish Kumar

Institutions: Georgia Institute of Technology, Glenn Research Center, University of Toledo

Language: English

Topic: Boron and Carbon Nanomaterials Research

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,500

Funder: National Aeronautics and Space Administration