As the integration of devices in electronics manufacturing increases, there is a growing demand for thermal interface materials (TIMs) with high through-plane thermal conductivity. Vertically aligned carbon fiber (CF) thermally conductive composites have received considerable attention from researchers. However, the presence of significant interfacial thermal resistance at the interface between CFs and polymer presented a significant challenge to achieving the desired thermal conductivity, even in highly vertically aligned structures. Here, in addition to developing a polymer-based thermally conductive composite based on highly oriented CFs, we employed the Diels–Alder reaction to enhance the interfacial bonding between the CFs and the polymer matrix. Notably, we proposed the thermal conductivity enhancing mechanism of the highly oriented CFs filled silicone rubber (SR) composite originated from the strengthened interfacial bonding. The results indicated that the Diels–Alder reaction facilitated an increase in the thermal conductivity of the composite from 17.69 Wm− 1 K− 1 to 21.50 Wm− 1 K− 1 with a CF loading of 71.4 wt%. Additionally, a novel nano-indentation test was employed to analyse the interfacial strengthening of composites. Our research have significant implications for the advancement of thermal management in the field of electronics and energy, particularly with regard to the development of high-performance thermally conductive composites.

마이크로파를 열원으로 이용하는 화학반응은 어려운 반응을 활성화시킬 수 있고 반응시간과 속도를 가속화하여 고수득율 및 높은 분자량을 얻는 고분자를 합성하는데 유용하게 쓰일 수 있다. 본 연구에서는마이크로파를 이용하여 Diels-Alder 반응을 실시하고 열적으로 안정한 측사슬계 2차 비선형광학고분자를 합성하였다. 일반적인 수열반응을 통해 얻어진 고분자와 물리적, 열적, 광학적 특성을 비교 분석하였으며 마이크로파 가열을 활성화하기 위해 용매를 달리하고 이온성액제를 첨가하여 반응을 조절하였다. PAMID시리즈의 다양한 고분자를 합성하였으며 이중에서 PAMID-M2는 10분간 120W의 전력을 사용하여 얻어졌으며 이 때 사용한 용매는 이온성액제가 소량 첨가된 trichloroethane을 사용하였다. 얻어진PAMID-M2의 무게평균 분자량은 18,300이었으며 분포도는 1.3이었고 높은 유리전이온도 (123oC)를 나타냈다.