Apr 5 2023Reviewed by Skyla Baily At the University of Bayreuth, scientists present new electrospun nonwovens that display an exceptional combination of extremely low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity.
Generally, high electrical conductivity has been linked to high thermal conductivity, and low thermal conductivity goes well with low electrical conductivity. But in several high-tech industries, there is an increasing interest in multifunctional materials that integrates good electricity along with low thermal transport.
Every fiber comprises a matrix of carbon in which nano-sized ceramic phases are distributed homogeneously. The particles develop small “islands” in the “sea” of the carbon matrix and have opposite and complementary effects. The strange combination of extremely low thermal and high electrical conductivity currently has been emphasized by comparison with over 3,900 materials of all kinds, such as carbons, ceramics, natural materials, metals, glasses, synthetic polymers, and several composites. Electron transport and thermal energy insulation were highly coupled in the new electrospun composite fiber material compared to other materials.