Organopolysiloxane Thermal Interface Composition for Crack-Free Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermally conductive materials face limitations in thermal conductivity, stability, and reliability, especially under extreme low-temperature environments, leading to issues such as contamination, leakage, and insufficient heat dissipation in semiconductor devices.
Innovation Solution
A curable organopolysiloxane composition containing gallium or its alloy, specific alkoxypolysiloxane, and a thermally conductive filler, which is uniformly dispersed and crosslinked to form a thermally conductive layer that adheres to uneven surfaces without gaps, ensuring high thermal conductivity and reliability even at low temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a thermally conductive filler is added to improve thermal conductivity, then thermal conduction effect is enhanced, but the upper limit of filler amount is limited by workability and processibility requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the base material from solid (conventional sheets) or semi-solid (greases) to a curable liquid composition. This allows incorporating high amounts of thermally conductive filler (exceeding conventional limits) while maintaining easy applicability in liquid form, which then cures to a solid thermally conductive layer, resolving the contradiction between filler content and workability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system consisting of a curable silicone resin base combined with thermally conductive filler particles and low-melting-point metal particles. This composite structure enables the material to exhibit both the ease of application of liquids and the high thermal conductivity of solids with high filler content, overcoming the limitations of conventional single-phase thermally conductive materials
2Temperature
If low-melting-point metal is added to improve thermal conductivity, then thermal conduction is enhanced, but contamination and oily substance leakage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates low-melting-point metal particles (such as gallium or its alloys) into the curable silicone resin composition before curing. The metal particles are pre-dispersed and immobilized in the resin matrix in liquid or particulate form, preventing contamination and leakage issues that would occur with free metal. Upon curing, the resin solidifies to permanently trap the metal particles, eliminating reliability problems while maintaining thermal conductivity benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The curable silicone resin acts as an intermediary matrix that holds the low-melting-point metal particles. The resin base material mediates between the metal particles and the external environment, preventing direct contact and potential leakage of the metal while still allowing thermal conduction through the composite structure
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 composition effectively transfers heat from heat-generating components to dissipation members, preventing cracks and voids, maintaining reliability and improving semiconductor device performance by conforming to surface irregularities and immobilizing the gallium alloy in a three-dimensional network.
Implementation Method 1
gallium and/or an alloy thereof which is dispersed in the organopolysiloxane in the form of particles
Implementation Method 2
crosslinked to form a thermally conductive layer that adheres to uneven surfaces
Implementation Method 3
effectively transfers heat from heat-generating components to dissipation members
Implementation Method 4
adheres to uneven surfaces without gaps, ensuring high thermal conductivity
Implementation Method 5
maintaining reliability and improving semiconductor device performance by conforming to surface irregularities and immobilizing the gallium alloy
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Provided is a curable organopolysiloxane composition containing a required and sufficient amount of a material that has a favorable thermal conductivity and is uniformly dispersed in the state of fine particles in a matrix comprised of a resin component, where the composition can then be turned into a cured product exhibiting no cracks or voids when the product is cured. The curable organopolysiloxane composition contains (A) an organopolysiloxane having at least two silicon atom-bonded alkenyl groups per each molecule, said organopolysiloxane being liquid at 25°C, (B) an organohydrogenpolysiloxane having a silicon atom-bonded hydrogen atom, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of gallium and a gallium alloy that have a melting point of -20 to 70°C, (D) a thermally conductive filler having an average particle diameter of 0.1 to 30 µm, and (E) a platinum group metal catalyst, wherein the gallium and/or the gallium alloy (C) is in the form of particles dispersed in the organopolysiloxane and exhibits a solidifying point of -40°C or lower.