Copper-Embedded Aluminum Heat Sink for Reliable Cu-Al Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat sinks made of copper or aluminum face challenges in direct welding due to oxidation, eutectic formation, and metallurgical issues, leading to weak joints and environmental hazards from chemical treatments like electroless nickel plating.
Innovation Solution
A heat dissipation device with a copper embedding layer on an aluminum base seat allows direct welding of heterogeneous metal components without chemical surface treatments, using mechanical or chemical processing to secure connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If copper material is directly welded with aluminum material, then heat conduction effectiveness is improved, but welding reliability deteriorates due to oxidation, eutectic formation, and metallurgical incompatibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a copper embedding layer as an intermediary between the aluminum base seat and copper heat dissipation components. This intermediate copper layer acts as a mediator that is compatible with both aluminum (through embedding) and copper (through direct bonding), enabling reliable thermal contact while avoiding direct aluminum-copper welding issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure consisting of aluminum base seat with embedded copper layer, which combines the advantages of both materials: aluminum provides lightweight properties and cost-effectiveness, while the embedded copper layer provides excellent thermal conductivity and bonding compatibility with copper heat dissipation components.
2Ease of manufacture
If chemical nickel treatment is applied to aluminum surface, then welding compatibility with copper is improved, but environmental harm increases due to chemical waste and toxic substances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful chemical nickel treatment process into a beneficial mechanical embedding process. Instead of using toxic chemicals to modify the aluminum surface, the invention mechanically embeds copper particles or foil into the aluminum surface during molding, achieving the same welding compatibility goal without environmental harm.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical system (electroless nickel plating) with a mechanical system (embedding process during die-casting or extrusion). This substitution eliminates the need for harmful chemical treatments while achieving the desired surface modification for welding compatibility through mechanical incorporation of copper material.
3Ease of manufacture
If electroless nickel plating is used to treat aluminum surface, then welding of heterogeneous metals is facilitated, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the copper embedding process with the primary aluminum forming process (die-casting or extrusion). By incorporating copper particles or foil into the aluminum matrix during the original manufacturing process, the need for separate surface treatment steps like electroless nickel plating is eliminated, simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the copper embedding action preliminarily during the aluminum base seat manufacturing process, before the welding operation. This preliminary incorporation of copper material into the aluminum surface ensures welding compatibility is built-in from the start, eliminating the need for intermediate surface treatment steps before welding.
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
Enables cost-effective and environmentally friendly welding of copper and aluminum components, avoiding weak joints and chemical waste, while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
Copper has a property of high heat conductivity so that in the conventional heat sink or thermal module, the heat dissipation base seat is often selectively made of copper material for conducting the heat generated by an execution unit
Implementation Method 2
at least one copper two-phase fluid component (such as heat pipe, vapor chamber, etc.)
Data Source
AI summary
A heat dissipation device includes an aluminum base seat and any or both of at least one copper two-phase fluid component and a copper heat conduction component. The aluminum base seat has an upper face and a lower face. A connection section is formed on the lower face and a copper embedding layer is disposed on the connection section. Any or both of the copper two-phase fluid component and the copper heat conduction component are disposed on the connection section and connected with the copper embedding layer. By means of the copper embedding layer disposed on the connection section, the aluminum base seat can be directly welded and connected with the copper two-phase fluid component and/or the copper heat conduction component made of heterogeneous metal materials without chemical nickel treatment procedure.