Multifunctional Liquid Metal Flexible Bridging MWCNT/PDMS for Thermal Management: Balanced High Thermal Conductivity and Conformability

Abstract

Balancing the relationship between thermal conductivity and conformability is crucial to overcoming the limitations of high-performance thermal interface materials. In this work, we design a filler soft bridge structure for interface modification, where liquid metal (LM) bridges polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) to simultaneously enhance both thermal conductivity and conformability. By optimizing the interfacial interactions, the LM volume fraction of up to 80% can be achieved while ensuring the fluidity of the thermally conductive silicone grease. Compared to thermally conductive silicone grease without interfacial construction, the thermal conductivity is increased by 40%, reaching 10.412 W·m^–1·K^–1. Moreover, the prepared LM thermally conductive silicone grease demonstrates excellent conformability (spreadability and adhesion), providing a safe, reliable, and effective solution for heat dissipation in electronic devices.