Fabrication and simulation of a layered ultrahigh thermal conductive material made of self-assembled graphene and polydopamine on a copper substrate

A composite material of graphene (G) and polydopamine (PDA) on a copper (Cu) substrate (G/PDA@Cu) was fabricated successfully by sequential immersion deposition in a dopamine solution and an aqueous graphene oxide suspension before annealing. Optimum preparation conditions were explored by the orthogonal experimental method. The morphology and chemical composition of G/PDA@Cu were studied systematically by a series of characterization techniques. The thermal-conductive performance was evaluated by a laser flash thermal analyser. The thermal conductivity of G/PDA@Cu was 519.43 W m-1 K-1, which is ultrahigh and 30.50% higher than that of the Cu substrate. The adhesion force between G/PDA and the Cu substrate was 4.18 mN, which means that G bonds to the Cu substrate tightly. The model simulation also showed that G/PDA@Cu exhibits excellent thermal conductivity, allowing it to play a significant role in the thermal management of advanced electronic chips. The thermal-conductive devices using this material were prepared for practical applications.