Patent ID: 8389603

Claim:
A method for preparing a thermal nanocomposite comprising: processing a nanocomposite mixture to form a thermal nanocomposite comprising less than or equal to 80% nanofillers by volume in a solid polymer matrix, having a connectivity of nanofillers in 1, 2, and/or 3 dimensions, and having a thermal conductivity that differs by more than 20% as compared with the thermal conductivity exhibited by a composite material of a similar composition with filler particles having a domain size of 1 micron, the nanocomposite mixture comprising: nanofillers comprising surface treated nanoparticles and having a domain size equal to or less than the mean free path of phonons, wherein the nanofillers comprise a composition selected from the group consisting of carbides, nitrides, borides, phosphides, and silicides, with the proviso that the nanofillers do not comprise oxygen; and a polymer matrix.