Work

Ionic liquid crystal-induced boron nitride/carbon nanotube dough with shapeability and redispersibility for efficient thermal management

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite hybrid materials have garnered significant attention in the field of thermal management. However, conventional approaches for fabricating BNNS/CNT hybrids often result in structural defects, limited solid content, and poor redispersibility, thereby restricting scalable processing and practical applications. In this study, we propose a simple, non-destructive and scalable assembly strategy using ionic liquid crystals (ILC) to construct BNNS/CNT hybrid fillers with strong interfacial bonding. The BNNS-ILC-CNT composite hybrid undergoes the transformation from a dispersion, slurry, or gel to dough through multiple noncovalent interactions, including cation-π interactions, electrostatic attraction, and hydrogen bonding. When the BNNS-ILC-CNT hybrid is incorporated into the aramid nanofiber network, this composite filler significantly enhances the thermal conductivity (13.2 ± 0.9 W m −1 K − 1 ) of the composite paper, enabling rapid and stable Joule heating effects while exhibiting photothermal response characteristics. In addition, the BNNS-ILC-CNT composite dough exhibits excellent storage stability, remaining uniformly dispersible in water even after 100 days of storage. This study offers a novel perspective for preparing high-concentration BNNS/CNT composite fillers and provides a highly promising strategy for developing multifunctional polymer composites suitable for advanced thermal management applications.

Source: Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials

DOI: 10.1007/s42114-026-01758-y