Thermally conductive and electrically insulative polymer compositions containing a thermally insulative filler and uses thereof

1. A composition comprising:

a. from 35 to 80 vol % of a thermoplastic polymer comprising an aliphatic polyamide, polyester, polyethylene and ethylene based copolymer, polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetheretherketone, polycarbonate, or polyetherimide, or a combination thereof;

b. from 5 to 45 vol % of a thermally insulative filler with an intrinsic thermal conductivity less than or equal to 10 W/mK comprising H 2 Mg 3 (SiO 3 ) 4 , Mg(OH) 2 , BaO, γ-AlO(OH) (Boehmite), γ-AlO(OH) (Diaspore), Al(OH) 3 , BaSO 4 , ZrO 2 , SiO 2 , MgO.xAl 2 O 3 , CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 , or a combination thereof; and

c. from 5 to 15 vol % of a thermally conductive filler with an intrinsic thermal conductivity greater than or equal to 50 W/mK comprising AlN, BN, MgSiN 2 , SiC, graphite, ceramic-coated graphite, expanded graphite, or graphene, or a combination thereof,

wherein the composition is characterized by:

i. a thermal conductivity of at least 1.0 W/mK;

ii. a thermal conductivity of at least 7 times the total filler volume fraction times the thermal conductivity of the pure thermoplastic polymer; and

iii. a volume resistivity of at least 10 7 Ohm·cm.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a an aliphatic polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polycarbonate, or polyetherimide, or a combination thereof.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises an aliphatic polyamide, polyester, or polyphenylene sulfide, or a combination thereof.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermally insulative filler comprises H 2 Mg 3 (SiO 3 ) 4 , Mg(OH) 2 , γ-AlO(OH) (Boehmite), γ-AlO(OH) (Diaspore), or MgO.xAl 2 O 3 , CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 , or a combination thereof.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermally insulative filler comprises H 2 Mg 3 (SiO 3 ) 4 , Mg(OH) 2 , or a combination thereof.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises AlN, BN, graphite, or expanded graphite, or a combination thereof.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises graphite, or boron nitride, or a combination thereof.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises graphite.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises

c1. from 0 to 100 vol % of an electrically conductive filler with a resistivity less than or equal to 1 Ohm·cm; and

c2. from 0 to 100 vol % of an electrically insulative filler with a resistivity greater than or equal to 10 5 Ohm·cm;

wherein at least one of c1 or c2 is present.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises

c1. an electrically conductive filler with a resistivity less than or equal to 1 Ohm·cm; and

c2. an electrically insulative filler with a resistivity greater than or equal to 10 5 Ohm·cm.

11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises an aliphatic polyamide, polyester, polyphenylene sulfide, or a combination thereof; the thermally insulative filler comprises H 2 Mg 3 (SiO 3 ) 4 , Mg(OH) 2 , or a combination thereof; and the thermally conductive filler comprises graphite.

12. An article formed from the composition of claim 1 .

13. The article of claim 12 , wherein the article is a molded article.

14. A method of using a thermoplastic polymer composition in a high thermal conductivity application comprising contacting the thermoplastic polymer composition of claim 1 with an elevated external temperature, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition is used in an application requiring the composition to have (1) a thermal conductivity of at least 1.0 W/mK, (2) a thermal conductivity of at least 7 times the total filler volume fraction times the thermal conductivity of the pure thermoplastic polymer, and (3) a volume resistivity of at least 10 7 Ohm·cm.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the polymer composition is in the form of an article.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the article is a molded article.