Analysis of the effects of interfacial parameters on the thermal conductivity properties of SiC/SMPU composites

Abstract

Silicon carbide (SiC)/shape‐memory polyurethane (SMPU) soft robots possess programmable shapes and dual‐drive capabilities based on electrical and thermal methods. Enhancing the thermal conductivity (TC) of these composite materials effectively enhances the driving performance of the soft robots. In this study, we tune the interfacial thickness between SiC particles and the SMPU polymer matrix to regulate the TC of the composites. The optimized composite exhibits a 244% increase in the in‐plane TC and 153% increase in the out‐of‐plane TC. Furthermore, optimization significantly enhances the speed and efficiency of the soft robots. This study reveals that interfacial thickness is a key factor in regulating interfacial heat transfer, potentially introducing a new approach for reducing interfacial thermal resistance in composite materials. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of interfacial heat‐ transfer mechanisms and establishes a new theoretical framework for designing and fabricating advanced composite materials for soft robots.Highlights Interfacial heat‐ transfer mechanism was revealed. Interfacial thickness primarily controls interfacial heat transfer. The in‐plane and out‐of‐plane thermal conductivities of prepared composites were enhanced by 244% and 153%, respectively, by modifying the interfacial thickness. The multifunctional performance of the composites was improved due to microscale mechanisms.