Thermally Conductive Adhesive Acrylate Composites with Strain-Induced Alignment of Silver-Coated Carbon Fibers

The continued miniaturization and integration of electronic devices have increased the demand for polymeric materials with efficient thermal management capabilities. However, the intrinsically low thermal conductivity of polymer matrices and the random distribution of thermally conductive fillers often hinder the formation of efficient thermal transport pathways. In this study, adhesive and stretchable acrylate-based composites incorporating silver-coated carbon fibers (Ag-CFs) were developed to achieve strain-controlled filler alignment and directional thermal transport. The CF surfaces were metallized via an electroless Ag-plating process, and the resulting Ag-CFs were subsequently incorporated into an acrylate prepolymer. Mechanical stretching induced preferential alignment of the Ag-CFs along the stretching direction, resulting in the formation of directional thermal conduction pathways within the polymer matrix. This deformation-induced filler orientation enabled control over the thermal transport network while maintaining the stretchability and adhesion of the acrylate matrix. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of Ag-CFs may provide additional potential for extending the developed composites toward electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. The combined use of Ag metallization and strain-induced filler alignment provides an effective strategy for developing adhesive and stretchable polymer composites with directional thermal transport. These characteristics highlight the potential of the developed composites as functional thermal management materials for flexible and next-generation electronic applications.