Recently emerging advancements in thermal conductivity and flame retardancy of MXene polymeric nanoarchitectures

ABSTRACT

Recently, great successes have been garnered in the electronics segment, such as the development of printed circuit panels, miniaturized and critically integrated light-emitting gadgets, aerospace, maritime, and automotive components. However, the generation of excessive heat and elevated fire risks of these gadgets is escalating resulting in they gadgets malfunctioning, degradation, minimized performances as well as high prevalence rate of fire outbreak. Hence, materials exhibiting thermal conductivities and flame retardancy are emerging to be essential components in electronic gadgets as well as other engineering materials due to effective heat dissipation sustaining safe operational temperature as well as fire retardancy in case of fire outbreaks. Despite advantages of polymeric nanocomposites (PNC) in heat dissipation applications, such as electrical insulation, facile processability, low-weight, and low-cost, they are not appropriate for high-performing gadgets due to inferior thermal conductivities (0.2–0.5 W/mK) and high prevalence rate of flammability. Thus, numerous approaches have been engaged to embed thermally conductive and flame retardant fillers such as M-X, carbon derivatives, metallic, as well as ceramic substrates within the polymeric matrices to inculcate heat conductivity and fire resistance to them. MXene (M-X), a novel set of 2-D materials is currently garnering significant research attention because they have shown high prospects for use in electronic gadgets, batteries, and supercapacitors (SCs). Therefore, this paper present recently emerging trends in thermal conductivity (TC) and flame retardancy of M-X@polymeric nanoarchitectures (M-X@PNC).

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• MXene
• MXene polymer nanocomposites
• thermal conductivity
• flame retardancy

Acknowledgments

Engr. Dr. Christopher Igwe Idumah of Faculty of Engineering, Department of Polymer Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, is acknowledged for remaining steady fast in disseminating polymer nanocomposites knowledge despite no funding.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

No funding is reported.

Notes on contributors

C. I. Idumah

Engr. Dr. Christopher Igwe Idumah is a COREN certified Polymer Engineer, who obtained his Ph.D. in Polymer Engineering from Univesiti Teknologi Malaysia, with award of best Ph.D at the 57th convocation of Univesiti Teknologi Malaysia. He garnered his M.Eng. from The Manchester University, England, United Kindom and was trained for SITP1 by SPDC Nigeria, by Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. He obtained his B.Eng. in Polymer Engineering from F.U.TO. Nigeria. Amongst numerous awards, he was listed amongst World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University, USA. He is presently a Lecturer with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria.