Passivated aluminum nitride for enhanced thermal conductivity composite materials for fuser belts

In accordance with the present teachings, there are composite materials, fuser members comprising the composite materials, and methods of making the composite materials. In various embodiments, the composite material can include a polyimide resin having a thermal conductivity and a plurality of passivated aluminum nitride particles substantially uniformly dispersed in the polyimide resin to provide the composite material with a thermal conductivity of 0.4 W/mK to 2.5 W/mK, and wherein each of the plurality of passivated aluminum nitride particles can include a passivation layer disposed over an aluminum nitride particle core to inhibit oxidation and thermal degradation of a surface of the aluminum nitride particle core.