In situ formation of highly ordered liquid crystalline polymer via controlled linear polymerization

Utilizing lightweight thermally conductive materials that aggressively dissipate heat produced by microelectronics in constrained locations is required due to the quick advancement of smart technology. The epoxy groups attached to the microscopically oriented liquid crystal mesogens were sequentially woven by the initiator, enabling the ordered LC microstructures to remain frozen even after curing. A remarkable improvement in the thermal conductivity of cured liquid crystalline polymer was made, giving a value of 142% (i.e., 0.51 W m-1 K-1), better than the commercial epoxy. This was made possible by the minimized molecular diffusion during heat transport via the ordered LC structure. Then, by conducting a comprehensive examination employing differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermal conductivity tests, the impact of the regulated LCER’s nanoarchitecture on thermal conductivity was investigated.