Researchers create new polymer films that conduct heat instead of trapping it

MIT engineers have fabricated then polymer films that conduct heat, flipping the picture of the standard polymer insulator.

In experiments, the researchers found the films, which are thinner than plastic wrap, conduct heat better than many metals, including steel and ceramic.

The results of the study may spur the development of polymer insulators as the lightweight, flexible and corrosion-resistant alternatives to traditional metal heat conductor, for applications ranging from heat dissipating materials in laptops and mobile phones, as well as cooling elements in cars and fridges.

Gang Chen, The Professor of Power Engineering at MIT, said: “Our bigger vision is, these properties of polymers can create new applications and perhaps new industries, and may replace metals as heat exchangers.”

In 2010, the team reported success in fabricating thin fibres of polyethylene that were 300 times more thermally conductive than normal polyethylene, and about as conductive as metals.

It soon became clear that, in order for polymer conductors to work for possible applications, the materials would have to be scaled up for ultrathin fibres to more manageable films, before the team were able to fabricate thin films of conducting polymer.

Going forward, the researchers are looking for way to make even better polymer heat conductors, by both adjusting the fabrication process and experimenting with different heat types of polymers.