High temperature co-polyester thermoplastic elastomer nanocomposites for flexible self-regulating heating devices

Pyroresistive polymer composites are smart materials with great promise in numerous fields of electronic devices, including temperature and strain sensors, self-regulating heating, and over-current/over-temperature protective devices. However, the operational window of these materials is limited by the phase transition temperatures of the polymer matrix and the brittleness of the composites. Herein, a conductive polymer composite based on a co-polyester thermoplastic elastomer reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) was developed, which exhibits a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) switching temperature of 200 °C. This system shows a more gradual increase in resistivity with temperature and a less pronounced drop in resistivity past the critical transition temperature than other PTC composites. Moreover, Joule heating experiments revealed the ability to regulate at a predefined maximum temperature (within 150 – 200 °C), tuneable through parameters such as filler concentration, applied voltage and thermal boundary conditions, as also demonstrated by multiphysics simulations. Due to the more gradual PTC curve, this composite can produce steady state heating far below the PTC peak, unlike almost all other PTC materials: a unique advantage for self-regulating heating devices as the polymer is not in a melt state; reducing polymer degradation, filler mobility and increasing safety margin before onset of NTC behaviour.