Abstract:
A thermally conductive plastic composition and a system and method for forming such compositions. The thermally conductive composition comprises a polymer material and a thermally conductive filler, such as boron nitride, and exhibits good in-plane thermal conductivity, through-plane conductivity, or both. The system for forming thermally conductive plastic compositions comprises an extruder and an extruder screw comprising fractional mixing elements. The extruder can also comprise a screw with shovel elements located in a region of the system for introducing a thermally conductive filler into the extruder. The system and method allow for the processing of thermally conductive plastic compositions comprising boron nitride and can allow for the processing of boron nitride agglomerates such that the agglomerates remain sufficiently in tact to provide a composition exhibiting both excellent in-plane and through-plane conductivity.