Enhancing Thermal Conductivity in Plastic Crystals Using Megapascal Pressure

Recent research conducted by Zhipeng Wu, Mingzhi Fan, Yangjun Qin, Guangzu Zhang, and Nuo Yang has demonstrated a significant advancement in the thermal properties of plastic crystals. The paper titled "Achieving ultra-high anisotropy in thermal conductivity of plastic crystal through megapascal pressure of hot pressing" details how applying megapascal pressure during hot pressing can enhance the thermal conductivity of plastic crystal films, particularly those made from [(CH3)4N][FeCl4].

The study reveals that at a pressure of 16 MPa, the ratio of in-plane to cross-plane thermal conductivity in the films reached an impressive 5.5. This anisotropic behavior is attributed to the preferential orientation along the (002) crystal plane, which leads to the formation of a dense layered structure. The findings suggest that such anisotropy can be beneficial for specialized thermal management applications, especially in directing heat flow in electronic devices.

The research indicates that the thermal conductivity along the [100] and [010] directions, which are parallel to the (002) crystal plane, is significantly higher than in other directions. This modulation of thermal conductivity could expand the applications of plastic crystals in flexible electronic devices, potentially improving their efficiency and performance.

The full paper can be accessed through arXiv with the identifier arXiv:2409.01846.