Graphene film for thermal management: A review

Thermal conductivity and thermal dissipation are of great importance for modern electronics due to the increased transistor density and operation frequency of contemporary integrated circuits. Due to its exceptionally high thermal conductivity, graphene has drawn considerable interests worldwide for heat spreading and dissipation. However, maintaining high thermal conductivity in graphene laminates (the basic technological unit) is a significant technological challenge. Aiming at highly thermal conductive graphene films (GFs), this prospective review outlines the most recent progress in the production of GFs originated from graphene oxide due to its great convenience in film processing. Additionally, we also consider such issues as film assembly, defect repair and mechanical compression during the post-treatment. We also discuss the thermal conductivity in in-plane and through-plane direction and mechanical properties of GFs. Further, the current typical applications of GFs are presented in thermal management. Finally, perspectives are given for future work on GFs for thermal management.