Biobased Thermoset Sandwiched Composites Enabled by Dynamic Covalent Chemistry for Electrical Insulation, EMI Shielding, and Thermal Management

Abstract

Sandwiched composites with a combination of electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance, thermal conductivity, and electrical insulation show significant potential in electronic packaging. However, the fabrication of such composites using high-performance thermosets as matrices presents challenges due to their permanently crosslinked structures. Here, we relied on the dynamic covalent chemistry to propose an innovative interface-welding strategy to fabricate a sandwiched thermoset (covalent adaptable network)/carbon nanotubes/boron nitride (CAN/CNTs/BN) composite. To sustainability, the CAN matrix was derived from renewable biobased resources, such as vanillin, glycerol triglycidyl ether, and 1,10-diaminodecane. The incorporation of CAN/BN composites as the outer layers bolstered thermal conductivity while maintaining electrical insulation, while the CAN/CNTs interlayer efficiently attenuated electromagnetic waves. With a BN and CNT content of 30 wt%, the CAN/CNTs/BN composite achieved a thermal conductivity of 1.79 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹, an EMI shielding effectiveness exceeding 55 dB in the X-band, and an ultra-low electrical conductivity of 1.6×10⁻¹³ S·m⁻¹. Leveraging dynamic covalent chemistry, the interface-welding technique fostered fully integrated interfaces, ensuring superior mechanical properties of CAN/CNTs/BN composite including a tensile modulus of 3837.8 ± 196.9 MPa and tensile strength of 62.1 ± 3.7 MPa. Additionally, its exceptional heat dissipation performance positions CAN/CNTs/BN composite as a promising contender for electronic packaging applications.

Keywords

biobased thermoset composites / dynamic covalent chemistry / electrical insulation / electromagnetic interference shielding / thermal conductivity

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2025 The Author(s). SusMat published by Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.