Carbon Nanotube Sheet With Coating Film For Thermal Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal conductive sheets using carbon nanotubes do not adequately utilize their high thermal conductivity, leading to inefficient heat radiation in electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
A sheet structure comprising linear carbon atoms with coating films of high thermal conductivity on their ends, joined to neighboring carbon nanotubes, enhances thermal contact and conductivity, and a method of manufacturing this structure by growing carbon nanotubes on a substrate and transferring them with the coating films to improve thermal and electric conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If carbon nanotubes are used as thermal conductive material, then thermal conductivity is improved, but thermal contact resistance is not sufficiently reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A coating film made of spherical particles (such as metal or ceramic particles) is applied to the surface of carbon nanotubes to act as an intermediary substance. This coating film improves thermal contact between the carbon nanotubes and surrounding materials, thereby reducing thermal contact resistance while maintaining the high thermal conductivity of the carbon nanotubes themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface properties of carbon nanotubes are modified by coating them with spherical particles, changing parameters such as surface area, surface roughness, and thermal interface properties. This parameter change enables better thermal contact without compromising the intrinsic thermal conductivity of the carbon nanotube structure.
2Reliability
If indium is used as thermal conductive sheet, then heat radiation is improved, but cost increases due to rare metal demand
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive rare metals like indium with carbon nanotubes, which are more cost-effective while providing superior thermal conductivity. The carbon nanotube-based thermal conductive sheet achieves comparable or better heat radiation efficiency without the high cost associated with rare metal materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material structure by coating carbon nanotubes with spherical particles, combining the high thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes with the thermal contact benefits of particulate materials. This composite approach achieves effective heat radiation without using expensive rare metals.
3Reliability
If carbon nanotubes are dispersed in resin, then thermal conductivity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Spherical particles are pre-coated onto carbon nanotubes before assembly into the final thermal conductive sheet structure. This preliminary action simplifies subsequent manufacturing steps by pre-establishing the thermal contact interfaces, reducing the complexity of assembling the final product while maintaining high thermal conductivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces thermal contact resistance and enhances both thermal and electric conductivity of the carbon nanotube sheets, leading to improved heat radiation efficiency and reliability in electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
a first coating film formed on at least one end of the plurality of linear structures, and formed of a material having a higher heat conductivity of not less than 1 W/m·K and joining the linear structures neighboring each other
Implementation Method 2
forming a catalyst metal film over a first substrate; growing over the first substrate (30) a plurality of linear structures of carbon atoms with the catalyst metal film as a catalyst
Data Source
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AI summary
The sheet structure includes a plurality of linear structures of carbon atoms, a filling layer filled in gaps between the linear structures for supporting the plurality of linear structures, and a coating film formed over at least one ends of the plurality of linear structures and having a thermal conductivity of not less than 1 W/m·K.