Nitrogen-Doped Vanadium Oxide Ceramic for Stable Heat Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current heat management solutions for thin electronic devices like smartphones and tablets, such as those using heat sinks with fans or Peltier elements, are complex, increase device size, and consume power, limiting their effectiveness and battery life due to variability in heat absorption by vanadium oxide materials used for cooling.

Innovation Solution

A ceramic material containing vanadium oxide with 50 to 400 ppm by mass of nitrogen is developed to stabilize heat absorption, reducing variability and enhancing cooling efficiency without the need for a power source.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If vanadium oxide is used for heat absorption without nitrogen control, then heat absorption capacity is achieved, but variability in heat absorption amount occurs due to cation impurities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat absorption consistencyVSAvoidcomposition variability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent controls the nitrogen content parameter within a specific range (50-400 ppm) to stabilize the heat absorption characteristics of vanadium oxide. By adjusting and controlling this chemical composition parameter, the variability caused by cation impurities is compensated, achieving consistent heat absorption performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system by intentionally incorporating nitrogen into the vanadium oxide structure. This composite approach, where nitrogen acts as a dopant or additive, modifies the base vanadium oxide material to achieve more stable and predictable heat absorption properties despite the presence of impurities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Temperature

If cooling systems with fans or Peltier elements are used, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but device complexity and size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidsystem structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the active cooling function from complex mechanical systems (fans, Peltier elements) and implements it through a passive thermal material (vanadium oxide with controlled nitrogen content). This removes the need for power-consuming components while maintaining effective heat management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The vanadium oxide material provides self-regulating heat absorption through its phase transition properties, without requiring external power sources or control systems. The material automatically absorbs heat when temperature increases, providing autonomous thermal management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of manufacture

If heat is released through housings, then simple heat transfer is achieved, but surface area limitation restricts cooling effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer simplicityVSAvoidheat release surface area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent moves the heat absorption function from the external housing surface to the internal volume near heat sources. By placing vanadium oxide material in close proximity to heat-generating components, the cooling effect is achieved through volumetric heat absorption rather than surface-area-dependent heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 ceramic material effectively absorbs and manages heat with reduced variability, providing a stable cooling effect in a smaller volume, thus improving the performance and battery life of electronic devices by minimizing heat transfer to batteries.

Implementation Method 1

a ceramic material that absorbs heat with crystal-structural phase transition, magnetic phase transition, or the like

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase transition: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

a ceramic material that absorbs heat with crystal-structural phase transition, magnetic phase transition, or the like

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic phase transition:

Data Source

PatentUS9868672B2Ceramic material
Publication Date: 2018.01.16 MURATA MFG CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a ceramic material containing a vanadium oxide, and 50 to 400 ppm by mass of nitrogen with respect to the vanadium oxide. The ceramic material according to the present disclosure less varies in the amount of heat absorption. A cooling device comprising the ceramic material is also provided.