Excellent mechanical and thermal conductivity performance of polyvinyl alcohol film doped SiO2@Ti3C2Tx MXene via electrostatic nano-particle assembly

Improving the thermal conductivity of the PVA film depends on the construction of efficient thermal conductivity network. However, the agglomeration and high thermal resistance of the nanoparticles limit the high thermal conductivity construction of the PVA-based films. The nano-SiO₂ particles were modified using KH550 results in an even distribution, and then deposited onto the Ti₃C₂T_x MXene surfaces by electrostatic self-assembly. The dispersion and interaction of the modified SiO₂/Ti₃C₂T_x MXene (mST) within the PVA matrix were investigated, and mST/PVA (mSTP) films were prepared in this job. The treatment of the mST fillers ensures uniform distribution and reduces interface resistance. The mechanical properties of the mSTP films were significantly improved, with the tensile strength and elongation at break increasing by 183 % and 115 %, respectively. The in-plane and out-plane thermal conductivity of the mSTP-7.5 film reached 2.11 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ and 0.58 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹, respectively. The synergy between Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and nano-SiO₂ forms a controllable cross-linking structure, greatly enhancing thermal and mechanical properties. It not only offer a practical technical approach but also provide new theoretical insights for the design and optimization of the thermally conductive composites.