Thermally conductive articles including entangled or aligned fibers, methods of making same, and battery modules

A method of making a thermally conductive article, the method comprising:

• a) obtaining at least one nonwoven web comprising a plurality of entangled thermally conductive fibers, the nonwoven web having a first major surface and an opposed second major surface;
• b) impregnating the at least one nonwoven web with a polymeric composition or a polymerizable composition;
• c) drying the polymeric composition or polymerizing the polymerizable composition;
• either
• d1) rolling the first major surface of the nonwoven web against the second major surface of the nonwoven web to form an elongated convolute member having a first end and an opposed second end;
• and
• e1) slicing a pad from the first end of the elongated convolute member;
• or
• d2) adhering a stack of a plurality of coated nonwoven webs together;
• and
• e2) slicing a pad from a first end of the stack of the plurality of nonwoven webs,
• thereby forming a thermally conductive article comprising a pad having first and second opposed major surfaces and a thickness therebetween, wherein the thickness is formed of a plurality of entangled thermally conductive fibers and at least a portion of the entangled thermally conductive fibers have at least one terminal end at the first opposed major surface, the opposed second major surface, or both;
• wherein the pad is at least partially impregnated with a polymer;
• and wherein the thickness has a void fraction of at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, or at least 90%.