A secondary molding process for achieving increased thickness in high thermal conductivity graphene films

The development of rapid and scalable techniques for preparing thermally conductive films will be useful for manufacturing electronic devices with improved power and stability. Macroscopic graphene film is a promising ideal alternative to traditional thermal management materials due to its combined merits of high in-plane thermal conductivity and good flexibility. Although the thermal conductivity of present graphene films is acceptable, their finite thickness and low heat flux hinder their applications. Herein, a high-efficiency and inexpensive technology was developed to enhance the thickness of graphene film in large quantities. Graphene oxide solution was used as a bonding regent without complex chemical processes. The in-plane thermal conductivity of this graphene laminated film reaches up to 1281 ± 36 W m−1K−1 with a thickness of 160 μm. The secondary molding processing strategy offers new opportunities for the scaled-up manufacturing of thick graphene films with potential applications in the fields of thermal management, aerospace appliances, and large electronic devices.