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Sandwiched thermal article

a technology of thermal articles and sandwiches, which is applied in the direction of basic electric elements, semiconductor devices, lighting and heating apparatus, etc., can solve the problems of system failure, affecting the performance and reliability of the overall system, and affecting the performance of the individual components, so as to facilitate the dissipation or spread of heat and achieve high thermal anisotropic ratio

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-10-12
GRAFTECH INT HLDG INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] By sandwiching the non-graphite material between layers of graphite sheets, the thermal properties of graphite are maintained, while providing additional benefits, such as isotropic thermal spreading and moldability or formability, as well as improved attachment to a heat sink base. Most preferably, the non-graphite core layers comprise a metallic material, especially aluminum. Although aluminum is not as thermally conductive as copper, aluminum is preferred due to its lighter weight as compared to copper. Advantageously, when the non-graphite layer comprises a metal material, and the inventive article is employed as finstock, the metal core material can extend beyond the graphite layers and provide a substrate for soldering of the finstock to a metallic base or the like. In addition, the use of a metallic core layer permits the resulting structure to be molded and / or formed into complex shapes that meet specific space demands. The use of a metallic core also makes use of the isotropic nature of the metal to more efficiently spread heat along the graphite outer layers; indeed, it may be advantageous to expose a portion of the metallic core layer through one or both of the graphite outer layers to permit direct operative contact between the core layer and the heat source, in order to facilitate thermal spreading thorugh the core and the graphite layers, when the inventive article is employed as a thermal spreader.
[0030] Alternatively, the inventive sandwich can provide for direct operative contact between the core layer and a heat source to facilitate its thermal spreading capabilities, when employed as a thermal spreader.

Problems solved by technology

However, microprocessors, integrated circuits and other sophisticated electronic components typically operate efficiently only under a certain range of threshold temperatures.
The excessive heat generated during operation of these components can not only harm their own performance, but can also degrade the performance and reliability of the overall system and can even cause system failure.
The increasingly wide range of environmental conditions, including temperature extremes, in which electronic systems are expected to operate, exacerbates the negative effects of excessive heat.
However, the flexible nature of graphite materials makes it difficult to form complex structures or shapes unless the materials are first impregnated with a resin or the like.
In addition, the attachment of graphite fins to metallic bases is also problematic, since graphite cannot be soldered into place in the same way metallic fins can.

Method used

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Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0040] As noted, the inventive article is a sandwich whose outer layers are formed from sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite, commonly known as flexible graphite. Graphite is a crystalline form of carbon comprising atoms covalently bonded in flat layered planes with weaker bonds between the planes. By treating particles of graphite, such as natural graphite flake, with an intercalant of, e.g. a solution of sulfuric and nitric acid, the crystal structure of the graphite reacts to form a compound of graphite and the intercalant. The treated particles of graphite are hereafter referred to as “particles of intercalated graphite.” Upon exposure to high temperature, the intercalant within the graphite decomposes and volatilizes, causing the particles of intercalated graphite to expand in dimension as much as about 80 or more times its original volume in an accordion-like fashion in the “c” direction, i.e. in the direction perpendicular to the crystalline planes of the gra...

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Abstract

A thermal material for heat dissipation, which includes at least one sheet of flexible graphite sandwiched about a non-graphite core layer.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a sandwiched structure having an isotropic core and being capable of use as a thermal spreader or a finstock in the manufacture of heat sinks and other thermal dissipation devices. By thermal spreader is meant a material or article that functions to spread heat from a heat source over an area greater than one or more of the surfaces of the heat source; by finstock is meant a material or article that can be utilized as, or to form, fins used to dissipate heat. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] With the development of more and more sophisticated electronic devices, including those capable of increasing processing speeds and higher frequencies, having smaller size and more complicated power requirements, and exhibiting other technological advances, such as microprocessors and integrated circuits in electronic and electrical components, high capacity and response memory components such as hard drives, electromagnetic sources such ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): F28F7/00
CPCF28D2021/0029F28F21/02H01L23/373H01L23/3735H01L2924/0002H01L2924/00
Inventor SHIVES, GARYFLAHERTY, DAVID
Owner GRAFTECH INT HLDG INC
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