Flexible Positive Temperature Coefficient Composites (PVAc/EVA/GP-CNF) with Room Temperature Curie Point

Polymeric positive temperature coefficient (PTC) materials with low switching temperature points are crucial for numerous electronic devices, which typically function within the room temperature range (0-40 °C). Ideal polymeric PTC materials for flexible electronic thermal control should possess a room-temperature switching temperature, low room-temperature resistivity, exceptional mechanical flexibility, and adaptive thermal control properties. In this study, a novel PTC material with a room-temperature switching temperature and superb mechanical properties has been designed. A blend of a semi-crystalline polymer EVA with a low melting temperature (Tm) and an amorphous polymer (PVAc) with a low glass transition temperature (Tg) was prepared. Low-cost graphite was chosen as the conductive filler, while CNF was incorporated as a hybrid filler to enhance the material's heating stability. PVAc0.4/EVA0.6/GP-3wt.% CNF exhibited the lowest room temperature resistivity, and its PTC strength (1.1) was comparable to that without CNF addition, with a Curie temperature of 29.4 °C. Room temperature Joule heating tests revealed that PVAc0.4/EVA0.6/GP-3wt.% CNF achieved an equilibrium temperature of approximately 42 °C at 25 V, with a heating power of 3.04 W and a power density of 3.04 W/cm². The Young's modulus of PVAc0.4/EVA0.6/GP-3wt.% CNF was 9.24 MPa, and the toughness value was 1.68 MJ/m³, indicating that the elasticity and toughness of the composites were enhanced after mixing the fillers, and the mechanical properties of the composites were improved by blending graphite with CNF.