Enhanced Thermal Conductivity and Dielectric Properties of Iron Oxide/Polyethylene Nanocomposites Induced by a Magnetic Field.

Iron Oxide (Fe(3)O(4)) nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of low density polyethylene (LDPE) particles by solvothermal method. A magnetic field was introduced to the preparation of Fe(3)O(4)/LDPE composites, and the influences of the magnetic field on thermal conductivity and dielectric properties of composites were investigated systematically. The Fe(3)O(4)/LDPE composites treated by a vertical direction magnetic field exhibited a high thermal conductivity and a large dielectric constant at low filler loading. The enhancement of thermal conductivity and dielectric constant is attributed to the formation of the conductive chains of Fe(3)O(4) in LDPE matrix under the action of the magnetic field, which can effectively enhance the heat flux and interfacial polarization of the Fe(3)O(4)/LDPE composites. Moreover, the relatively low dielectric loss and low conductivity achieved are attributed to the low volume fraction of fillers and excellent compatibility between Fe(3)O(4) and LDPE. Of particular note is the dielectric properties of Fe(3)O(4)/LDPE composites induced by the magnetic field also retain good stability across a wide temperature range, and this contributes to the stability and lifespan of polymer capacitors. All the above-mentioned properties along with the simplicity and scalability of the preparation for the polymer nanocomposites make them promising for the electronics industry.