Noncovalent Soft Composites with Superior Thermal Conductivity and Photothermal Efficiency for Advanced Thermal Management

Soft materials with elevated thermal conductivity are highly sought after for efficient, adaptable thermal management in contemporary electronics, yet their fabrication remains challenging. We describe a soft composite created by integrating tannic acid-mediated liquid metals and graphene nanosheets into a polyurethane matrix through a noncovalent assembly approach that involves multiple interfacial supramolecular interactions. This composite demonstrates remarkable toughness (90.39 MJ m^-3) and stretchability (1050% strain) alongside superior through-plane thermal conductivity (18.69 W m^-1 K^-1) and in-plane thermal conductivity (8.05 W m^-1 K^-1). Additionally, the composite features excellent broadband light absorption (>85%) and a photothermal conversion efficiency of 84%, enabling heat generation. Our findings overcome the traditional trade-off between high thermal conductivity and mechanical compliance in a single material. We anticipate that our design strategy will pave the way for advanced thermal management materials that require functional integration.