Thermophysical and Dielectric Properties of Polymer Composites Filled with Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Thermophysical and dielectric properties of polymer composites based on linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and polylactide (PLA) filled with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have been studied. It is found that all the studied composites possess dielectric properties and increased thermal conductivity compared with initial polymer matrices. Unlike carbon-containing fillers (carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes), hBN is a good insulator and therefore, it is more suitable as a filler for the manufacture of heat-releasing materials with purely white appearance. At the same time, both LLDPE/hBN and PLA/hBN composites with a filler content of 40 wt.% possess comparable thermal conductivity about 0.7 W·m–1·K–1, which is almost 95% and 250% higher, than those for the initial LLDPE and PLA, respectively.