Thermal conductivity of stretched and annealed poly (p-phenylene sulfide) films

The temperature variation of the thermal conductivities of as-prepared, mechanically stretched, as-prepared and then annealed PPS samples are presented. Unusually high thermal conductivity values are observed as compared to other polymeric materials. In agreement with the X-ray diffraction observations, the thermal conductivity of the oriented film is higher than that of the as-prepared or annealed films. The differences observed after stretching are comparable to those previously reported for polyethylene and polyacetylene films for the same draw ratios. These unusually high thermal conductivity values justify the use of PPS in devices where efficient heat dissipation, associated with electrical insulation, is required. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.