Thermal interface material

US8703271B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK—NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, Cork · IE

Inventors

• Kafil M. Razeeb · Cork, IE
• Saibal Roy · Cork, IE
• James Francis Rohan · Cork, IE
• Lorraine Christine Nagle · Mallow, IE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 23, 2008
• Grant date: Apr 22, 2014
• Expiry date: Jul 21, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/2982
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A thermal interface material (1) comprises a bulk polymer (2) within which is embedded sub-micron (c. 200 to 220 nm) composite material wires (3) having Ag and carbon nanotubes (“CNTs”) 4. The CNTs are embedded in the axial direction and have diameters in the range of 9.5 to 10 nm and have a length of about 0.7 μm. In general the pore diameter can be in the range of 40 to 1200 nm. The material (1) has particularly good thermal conductivity because the wires (3) give excellent directionality to the nanotubes (4)—providing very low resistance heat transfer paths. The TIM is best suited for use between semiconductor devices (e.g. power semiconductor chip) and any type of thermal management systems for efficient removal of heat from the device.