Chapter 2. Surface Engineering of Boron Nitride Nanoplatelets for Thermal Conductivity Enhancement of Polymers

Abstract

Boron nitride nanoplatelets (BNNP) have great potential for the improvement of the thermal conductivity of polymers due to their ultra-high thermal conductivity and excellent insulation properties. Herein, we provide a review on surface engineering of BNNP and their applications in polymer composites. This chapter begins with the introduction of the structural features and properties of BNNP. The preparation methods of BNNP are classified as ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ approaches. BNNP can be further chemically modified by introducing different functional groups onto the surface in order to improve compatibility between the BNNP and the polymer matrices. Thermally conductive polymer composites based on BNNP have developed rapidly from the development of novel preparation methods and the design of sophisticated internal microstructures.