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Table 1. The raw materials and corresponding specifications of filler, coupling agent, epoxy resin, curing agent, solvent.
Materials Abbreviation Purity (%) Supplier
Aluminum nitride (40 nm) a
Nano-AlN >99 Hefei Kaier Nanometer Technology
Development Co., Ltd, China
Aluminum nitride (100 µm)b Micro-AlN >98 Sigma Aldrich, Seoul, Korea
3-Amino propyltriethoxy silane 3-APTES >99 Sigma Aldrich, Milwaukee, WI, USA
Multi-walled carbon nanotube MWCNTs >95 Hanhwa Nanotech, Seoul, Korea
Bisphenol-A BPA — Kukdo Chemical Co., LTD, Seoul, Korea
Tetraethylenepentamine TEPE — Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., LTD
Seoul, Korea
Methanol MeOH >99.5 Samchun Chem.., Pyung-teak, Korea
Acetone — >99.5 Samchun Chem.., Pyung-teak, Korea
Sulfuric acid H2 SO4 >95 Samchun Chem.., Pyung-teak, Korea
Nitric acid HNO3 >70 Samchun Chem.., Pyung-teak, Korea
Thionyl chloride SOCl2 — Sigma Aldrich, Seoul, Korea
Tetrahydrofuran THF >99.5 Sigma Aldrich, Seoul, Korea
N,N-dimethylformamide DMF >99 Samchun Chem.., Pyung-teak, Korea
a Crystal form: hexagonal.
b Crystal form: hexagonal.
significant increase in the thermal conductivity in different have electrical insulating properties along with enhanced
polymer–AlN composites [13–18]. However, an increase in thermal conductivity because of reduced thermal resistance at
the amount of filler loading results in a high density and poor the junction with nanoparticles. These synthesized materials
mechanical properties. were added to epoxy/TEPE (tetraethylenepentamine, a curing
Also, to effectively solve these thermal dissipation agent) composites containing untreated micro-aluminum
problems, multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polymer nitride (micro-AlN) particles with an average size of ∼100 nm
composites such as polyethylene [19–21], polypropylene [22], to minimize the decrease in thermal conductivity associated
poly(methylene methacrylate) [23], poly(vinylcarbazole), and with thermal interfacial resistance between the MWCNTs.
polyamide [24] have typically been used. Bae et al added Finally, it was proved that a small amount of nano-AlN-doped
modified MWCNTs to a liquid-crystal epoxy and studied MWCNTs (∼2%) would help to establish 3D percolation
their surface properties as well as their mechanical and networks with micro-AlN particles.
thermal properties [25]. Since the thermal conductivity of
pure MWCNTs may be as high as 2800 W mK−1 [26], 2. Experimental details
it is anticipated that the use of MWCNTs is an effective
way to reduce the filler content needed to achieve relatively 2.1. Raw materials
high thermal conductivity, thereby minimizing the problems
associated with density and mechanical properties that can The raw materials and the corresponding specifications for the
arise when the filler content is high. However, enhancement fillers, coupling agent, epoxy resin, curing agent, and solvent
of the thermal conductivity in MWCNT/polymer composites are given in table 1.
cannot be easily achieved because of the lower intrinsic
tube conductivity and the scattering of heat-carrying phonons 2.2. Surface modification of nano-AlN particles
through interactions with the surroundings or defects [27, 28].
Recently, MWCNTs have been coated with metal The process used to generate the nano-AlN hydroxide
particles to further enhance the thermal conductivity of particles involved the following steps: (a) drying in a
polymer composites and nanofluids [29, 30], resulting in vacuum oven at 180 ◦ C for 12 h to remove moisture and
a reduction in the thermal interfacial resistance due to the water, (b) dipping nano-AlN particles in a 10 wt% sodium
covalent attachment of metal particles onto the MWCNT hydroxide solution at 90 ◦ C for 20 min to attach more
surfaces. Sihn et al demonstrated thermal conduction hydroxide ions onto the surfaces of the nano-AlN particles,
behaviors at the transition zone (TZ) between the thermally and (c) centrifuging and rinsing with acetone and filtering
conductive and insulating phases in a parametric study [31]. several times. The nano-AlN hydroxide particles were left in
They indicated that the thermal conductivity of the TZ is the furnace at 65 ◦ C for 24 h, cooled to room temperature, and
a major factor in controlling the thermal conductivity of then stored in desiccators.
composites. Therefore, the thermal resistance at the junction The silane treatment of inorganic particles using 3-
with the nanoparticles can be reduced via covalent attachment. APTES consisted of (a) adding an appropriate amount of
In this study, to synthesize metal nanoparticle-doped 3-amino propyltriethoxy silane (3-APTES; 0.5–1% based on
MWCNTs for use as fillers in thermally conducting compos- the weight of the nano-AlN particles) to methanol (MeOH)
ites, nano-aluminum nitride (40 nm, nano-AlN) particles were and dispersing the solution including the nano-AlN particles
covalently bonded to MWCNT surfaces (nano-AlN-doped using a high level of ultrasonication for 8 h, (b) stirring with a
MWCNTs). The resulting nano-AlN-doped MWCNTs could high speed magnetic stirrer equipped with a reflux condenser
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Nanotechnology 23 (2012) 065303 S Choi et al
Figure 1. Chemical routes for the synthesis of (a) silane treated nano-AlN particles, (b) chlorinated MWCNTs, and (c) nano-AlN-doped
MWCNTs.
at 70 ◦ C for at least 4 h, and (c) rinsing with absolute MeOH not bonded and thus would not significantly contribute to the
and filtering several times followed by drying at 100 ◦ C for joint strength. The probable schematic reaction between the
3 h to remove the solvent and the silane molecules that were nano-AlN particles and 3-APTES is shown in figure 1(a).
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Nanotechnology 23 (2012) 065303 S Choi et al
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Nanotechnology 23 (2012) 065303 S Choi et al
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Nanotechnology 23 (2012) 065303 S Choi et al
Figure 3. FE-SEM images of the (a) raw MWCNTs and (b)–(d) nano-AlN-doped MWCNTs under different magnifications.
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Nanotechnology 23 (2012) 065303 S Choi et al
Figure 5. XPS wide scan spectra of (a) the functionalized MWCNTs and curve fitting of (b) the C 1s peak and (c) the N 1s peak of the
nano-AlN-doped MWCNTs .
The morphology of the fractured surfaces of the A5 and as interconnectors between the micro-AlN particles and as a
A15 systems are shown in figures 7(a) and (b), respectively. In heat conducting medium when the micro-filler loading was
the case of the A5 system (figure 7(a)), the embedded nano- increased.
AlN-doped MWCNTs were well dispersed and agglomerated As a result, to combine the high performance of
bundles were rarely observed in the composites. However, at composites with low nano-filler content and composites with
low micro-filler concentrations, the thermal conductivity is high micro-filler content, it is reasonable to partially replace
rather lower since the nano-AlN-doped MWCNTs could not the micro-filler with nano-filler and expect a higher thermal
act as interconnectors. conductivity of the resulting composites filled with hybrid
In contrast to the A5 system, as shown in figure 7(b), filler, due to a synergistic effect with contributions from the
the A15 system, which is the epoxy/TEPE composite nano- and micro-fillers.
containing 2 wt% nano-AlN-doped MWCNTs and 57.4 vol%
micro-AlN particles, provides higher thermal conductivity.
Since the formation of heat conducting three-dimensional 4. Conclusions
(3D) percolating networks in the matrix is the key parameter
that influences the value of the thermal conductivity of the In the present work, the effects of embedded nano-
composites, nano-AlN-doped MWCNTs effectively behaved aluminum nitride (nano-AlN) doped multi-walled nan-
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Nanotechnology 23 (2012) 065303 S Choi et al
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Nanotechnology 23 (2012) 065303 S Choi et al
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