Enhancing interfacial thermal transport by grafting H-bonded polymer Chains: The role of chain morphology

MM Islam and L Liu, APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE, 697, 163009 (2025).

DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.163009

Polymers and their composites are essential in modern technologies but suffer from low thermal conductivity, particularly at material interfaces, limiting their use in applications that require efficient heat management. Grafting polymers onto graphene/polymer interfaces has shown promise in enhancing interfacial thermal conductance. However, optimizing these interfaces remains challenging due to complex molecular-scale thermal transport processes. In this work, we investigate the enhancement of interfacial thermal conductance by grafting poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) chains, focusing on the formation of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) and the impacts of chain length and morphology. Our results show that longer, extended PVA chains form an H-bond network that penetrates into the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix, effectively bridging materials at the interface. In contrast, mushroom- shaped PVA chains partly disrupt the H-bond network, reducing heat transfer pathways. Further analysis shows that longer chains intensify active vibrational modes, improving coupling with the matrix's vibrations. These insights highlight the critical role of polymer chain design in optimizing interfacial thermal performance, offering new strategies for improving thermal management in polymer-based composites.

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