Thermally conductive and electrically insulating epoxy nanocomposites with thermally reduced graphene oxide–silica hybrid nanosheets

We herein report on the preparation of epoxy nanocomposites, which had enhanced thermal conductivities but were still electrical insulators, incorporating hybrid nanosheets (NSs) with sandwich structures composed of thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRGO) and silica. The silica layer covered the surface of the TRGO, hindering electrical conduction and effectively forming a 3D phonon transport channel that had a unique effect on the electrical and thermal properties of the epoxy matrix. A 1 wt% TRGO–silica NS epoxy nanocomposite maintained an electrical resistivity of 2.96 × 1011 Ω cm, and its thermal conductivity was 0.322 W m−1 K−1, which is 61% higher than the conductivity of an epoxy nanocomposite without TRGO–silica NSs (0.2 W m−1 K−1).