Perforated Material Embedded in Flexible Graphite for Thermal Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional flexible graphite materials exhibit high anisotropy in thermal conductivity, with significantly higher in-plane conductivity compared to through-plane conductivity, limiting their effectiveness in thermal management applications where directional heat dissipation is required.

Innovation Solution

The development of composite materials comprising a perforated material embedded in flexible graphite, which re-orients graphite flakes to increase through-plane conductivity by embedding perforated materials within the graphite sheets, allowing for enhanced thermal conductivity in both in-plane and through-plane directions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If graphite flakes are re-oriented to increase through-plane conductivity, then thermal management effectiveness improves, but material structure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal management effectivenessVSAvoidmaterial structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than attempting to re-orient all graphite flakes throughout the material (which would create complex processing requirements), the patent uses a composite approach where perforated material is embedded into the graphite structure. This achieves through-plane conductivity enhancement through a simpler, more manufacturable process while maintaining thermal management effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The perforated material acts as an intermediary element that facilitates heat transfer in the through-plane direction without requiring fundamental changes to the graphite flake structure. This mediator approach simplifies the overall material architecture compared to attempting direct flake re-orientation, while still achieving the desired thermal performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This approach significantly enhances the through-plane thermal conductivity of flexible graphite materials, making them more effective in thermal management applications such as heat sinks, thermal interfaces, and electronic devices by improving heat dissipation efficiency across multiple directions.

Implementation Method 1

The first perforated material is embedded in a surface of a flexible graphite material... This approach significantly enhances the through-plane thermal conductivity of flexible graphite materials

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11570933B2Exfoliated graphite materials and composite materials and devices for thermal management

Publication Date: 2023.01.31 AFFINITY GRAPHITE LTD

AI summary

Exfoliated graphite materials, and composite materials including exfoliated graphite, having enhanced through-plane thermal conductivity can be used in thermal management applications and devices. Methods for making such materials and devices involve processing exfoliated graphite materials such as flexible graphite to orient or re-orient the graphite flakes in one or more regions of the material.