Enhanced thermal conductance at the graphene–water interface based on functionalized alkane chains

Abstract

Highly efficient thermal transport between graphene and water is crucial in applications such as microscopic heat dissipation, solar steam generation, sea-water desalination, and thermally conductive composites. However, a practical approach for enhancing thermal transport across graphene–water interfaces is lacking. We propose an effective and universal method to improve thermal-transport properties at the interface between multilayer graphene and water by a factor of ∼4 by grafting functionalized groups onto graphene. The most improved interfacial thermal conductance was 121.0 ± 11.4 MW m⁻² K⁻¹. This design is compatible with industrial processes. We also undertook molecular-level analyses to unveil the underlying mechanism for heat-transport enhancement. This study could provide new approaches for engineering heat transport across two-dimensional materials and water interfaces.