Patent · US10791651B2 · B2 · US

Carbon nanotube-based thermal interface materials and methods of making and using thereof

(11) Publication number

US10791651B2

(21) Application number

15/603,080

(22) Filing date

2017-05-23

(30) Priority date

2016-05-31

(43) Publication date

2020-09-29

(45) Date of grant

2020-09-29

(51) IPC

C23C 14/06; H05K 7/20; H10W 40/10; H10W 40/25; H10W 40/70; C01B 32/16; F28F 7/00

(52) CPC

H05K Printed circuits; casings or constructional details of electric apparatus; manufacture of assemblages of electrical components: 7/20481, 7/2039, 9/0081
B32B Layered products, i.e. products built-up of strata of flat or non-flat, e.g. cellular or honeycomb, form: 2037/243, 2309/12, 37/10, 37/12, 37/26, 7/10, 7/12, 9/007
B82B Nanostructures formed by manipulation of individual atoms, molecules, or limited collections of atoms or molecules as discrete units; manufacture or treatment thereof: 3/0014
B82Y Specific uses or applications of nanostructures; measurement or analysis of nanostructures; manufacture or treatment of nanostructures: 30/00, 40/00
C01B Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof; {metalloids or compounds thereof not covered by subclass C01C}: 2202/24, 32/16
C09J Adhesives; non-mechanical aspects of adhesive processes in general; adhesive processes not provided for elsewhere; use of materials as adhesives: 2301/302
C09K Materials for miscellaneous applications, not provided for elsewhere: 5/14
C23C Coating metallic material; coating material with metallic material; surface treatment of metallic material by diffusion into the surface, by chemical conversion or substitution; coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering, by ion implantation or by chemical vapour deposition, in general: 14/06
H01L Semiconductor devices; electric solid state devices not otherwise provided for: 23/373, 23/3735, 23/42
H10W Generic packages, interconnections, connectors or other constructional details of devices covered by class H10: 40/25, 40/255, 40/70

(73) Assignee

Carbice Corp

(72) Inventors

Baratunde Cola; Leonardo Prinzi; Craig Green

(54) Title

Carbon nanotube-based thermal interface materials and methods of making and using thereof

(57) Abstract

Multilayered or multitiered structures formed by stacking of vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays and methods of making and using thereof are described herein. Such multilayered or multitiered structures can be used as thermal interface materials (TIMs).

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Claims (18)

A multilayered or multitiered structure comprising: at least a first layer or tier comprising a carbon nanotube array comprising vertically aligned carbon nanotubes grown from opposing surfaces of a first planar substrate, and at least a second layer or tier comprising a carbon nanotube array comprising vertically aligned carbon nanotubes grown from opposing surfaces of a second planar substrate, wherein the at least first layer or tier and the at least second layer or tier are stacked and the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes of the at least first layer or tier at least partially interdigitate the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes of the at least second layer or tier which are interfacing each other; and wherein the multilayered or multitiered structure, when contacted with one or more surfaces of a material, is able to conform to asperities present on the one or more surfaces of the material.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, further comprising a coating material on at least some of the interstitial space between the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, surfaces of the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, or both of the vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays present in the multilayered or multitiered structure.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, wherein the first and the second planar substrates are formed of a metal.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 2, wherein at least some of the interstitial space between the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, the surfaces of the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, or both of the vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays present in the multilayered or multitiered structure is infiltrated with the coating material, which is solidified within the vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 2, wherein the coating material reduces the resistance to energy transport between the adjacent carbon nanotubes of the vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays present.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, wherein the stacked at least first layer or tier and the at least second layer or tier are bonded by a coating material which is an adhesive, a phase change material, or a combination thereof.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, wherein the multilayered or multitiered structure is a thermal interface material.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material has three, four, or five layers or tiers.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material has a thermal resistance of about 0.1 to 1 cm 2 -K/W.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material comprises an adhesive.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 10, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 10, wherein the adhesive comprises a combination of a pressure sensitive adhesive and a thermally activatable adhesive.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 10, wherein the thermal interface material has an adhesion strength of up to about 1,000 psi.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material further comprises a layer or tier formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a heat spreader, a compliant pad, and a gel present within the multilayered or multitiered structure.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material further comprises a dielectric layer present within the multilayered or multitiered structure.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, wherein the first and the second planar substrates are metal foil substrates.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 16, wherein the metal foil substrates are formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, platinum, gold, nickel, iron, tin, lead, silver, titanium, indium, and alloys thereof.
The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 3, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, platinum, gold, nickel, iron, tin, lead, silver, titanium, indium, and alloys thereof.

Description

This invention is in the field of carbon nanotube arrays or sheets, particularly arrays or sheets which are stacked to form multilayered or multitiered structures and methods of making and using thereof.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays are an attractive solution for enhancing thermal transport between surfaces. CNTs can be grown on metal substrates, eliminating concerns associated with pump out or voiding that liquid thermal interface materials (TIMs) and greases may suffer from.

The high in-plane conductivity of individual nanotubes (as high as 3,000 W/m-K) means that even at relatively low CNT densities (typical CNT fill factors are on the order of 1%) the cross plane thermal conductance of a CNT-based TIM can be competitive with that of thermal grease. Furthermore, the favorable deformation mechanics of CNTs allow them to efficiently conform to the asperities of adjoining surfaces, resulting in high contact areas at such interfaces between surfaces.

A key challenge, however, in CNT-based TIMs comes from the difficulty in growing very long CNTs on metal substrates. Unlike CNTs grown on silicon or other inert substrates, the catalyst required for CNT growth suffers from subsurface diffusion when grown on metal substrates, resulting in early termination of tube growth. Furthermore, defects tend to accumulate in CNTs as their height increases, resulting in CNT arrays with conductivities significantly lower than the 3,000 W/m-K limit otherwise achievable with pristine tubes.

Citations (80)

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Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US10791651B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Carbon nanotube-based thermal interface materials and methods of making and using thereof",
  "abstract": "Multilayered or multitiered structures formed by stacking of vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays and methods of making and using thereof are described herein. Such multilayered or multitiered structures can be used as thermal interface materials (TIMs).",
  "claims": [
    "1. A multilayered or multitiered structure comprising: at least a first layer or tier comprising a carbon nanotube array comprising vertically aligned carbon nanotubes grown from opposing surfaces of a first planar substrate, and at least a second layer or tier comprising a carbon nanotube array comprising vertically aligned carbon nanotubes grown from opposing surfaces of a second planar substrate, wherein the at least first layer or tier and the at least second layer or tier are stacked and the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes of the at least first layer or tier at least partially interdigitate the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes of the at least second layer or tier which are interfacing each other; and wherein the multilayered or multitiered structure, when contacted with one or more surfaces of a material, is able to conform to asperities present on the one or more surfaces of the material.",
    "2. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, further comprising a coating material on at least some of the interstitial space between the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, surfaces of the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, or both of the vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays present in the multilayered or multitiered structure.",
    "3. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, wherein the first and the second planar substrates are formed of a metal.",
    "4. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 2, wherein at least some of the interstitial space between the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, the surfaces of the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, or both of the vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays present in the multilayered or multitiered structure is infiltrated with the coating material, which is solidified within the vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays.",
    "5. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 2, wherein the coating material reduces the resistance to energy transport between the adjacent carbon nanotubes of the vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays present.",
    "6. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, wherein the stacked at least first layer or tier and the at least second layer or tier are bonded by a coating material which is an adhesive, a phase change material, or a combination thereof.",
    "7. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, wherein the multilayered or multitiered structure is a thermal interface material.",
    "8. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material has three, four, or five layers or tiers.",
    "9. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material has a thermal resistance of about 0.1 to 1 cm 2 -K/W.",
    "10. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material comprises an adhesive.",
    "11. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 10, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.",
    "12. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 10, wherein the adhesive comprises a combination of a pressure sensitive adhesive and a thermally activatable adhesive.",
    "13. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 10, wherein the thermal interface material has an adhesion strength of up to about 1,000 psi.",
    "14. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material further comprises a layer or tier formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a heat spreader, a compliant pad, and a gel present within the multilayered or multitiered structure.",
    "15. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material further comprises a dielectric layer present within the multilayered or multitiered structure.",
    "16. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 1, wherein the first and the second planar substrates are metal foil substrates.",
    "17. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 16, wherein the metal foil substrates are formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, platinum, gold, nickel, iron, tin, lead, silver, titanium, indium, and alloys thereof.",
    "18. The multilayered or multitiered structure of claim 3, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, platinum, gold, nickel, iron, tin, lead, silver, titanium, indium, and alloys thereof."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention is in the field of carbon nanotube arrays or sheets, particularly arrays or sheets which are stacked to form multilayered or multitiered structures and methods of making and using thereof.\n\nCarbon nanotube (CNT) arrays are an attractive solution for enhancing thermal transport between surfaces. CNTs can be grown on metal substrates, eliminating concerns associated with pump out or voiding that liquid thermal interface materials (TIMs) and greases may suffer from.\n\nThe high in-plane conductivity of individual nanotubes (as high as 3,000 W/m-K) means that even at relatively low CNT densities (typical CNT fill factors are on the order of 1%) the cross plane thermal conductance of a CNT-based TIM can be competitive with that of thermal grease. Furthermore, the favorable deformation mechanics of CNTs allow them to efficiently conform to the asperities of adjoining surfaces, resulting in high contact areas at such interfaces between surfaces.\n\nA key challenge, however, in CNT-based TIMs comes from the difficulty in growing very long CNTs on metal substrates. Unlike CNTs grown on silicon or other inert substrates, the catalyst required for CNT growth suffers from subsurface diffusion when grown on metal substrates, resulting in early termination of tube growth. Furthermore, defects tend to accumulate in CNTs as their height increases, resulting in CNT arrays with conductivities significantly lower than the 3,000 W/m-K limit otherwise achievable with pristine tubes.",
  "cpc": [
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    "B32B 2309/12",
    "B32B 37/10",
    "B32B 37/12",
    "B32B 37/26",
    "B32B 7/10",
    "B32B 7/12",
    "B32B 9/007",
    "B82B 3/0014",
    "B82Y 30/00",
    "B82Y 40/00",
    "C01B 2202/24",
    "C01B 32/16",
    "C09J 2301/302",
    "C09K 5/14",
    "C23C 14/06",
    "H01L 23/373",
    "H01L 23/3735",
    "H01L 23/42",
    "H05K 7/2039",
    "H05K 9/0081",
    "H10W 40/25",
    "H10W 40/255",
    "H10W 40/70"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "C23C 14/06",
    "H05K 7/20",
    "H10W 40/10",
    "H10W 40/25",
    "H10W 40/70",
    "C01B 32/16",
    "F28F 7/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Carbice Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Baratunde Cola",
    "Leonardo Prinzi",
    "Craig Green"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-05-23",
  "publication_date": "2020-09-29",
  "grant_date": "2020-09-29",
  "priority_date": "2016-05-31",
  "application_number": "US-201715603080-A",
  "family_id": "59061810",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US2243979A",
    "US3957996A",
    "US3966934A",
    "US4029793A",
    "US4022899A",
    "US4029794A",
    "US4001413A",
    "US20020040042A1",
    "US6030974A",
    "US6326020B1",
    "AU775685B2",
    "US6250127B1",
    "US20040065717A1",
    "US20020140336A1",
    "US6921462B2",
    "US6965513B2",
    "US20070253889A1",
    "US20040105807A1",
    "US20040184981A1",
    "US20040261987A1",
    "US20050214197A1",
    "US7086451B2",
    "US20060073089A1",
    "US20050228097A1",
    "US20080292840A1",
    "US20060231970A1",
    "US20060251897A1",
    "US20110007477A1",
    "US8093715B2",
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    "US20080160866A1",
    "US20120128880A1",
    "US8220530B2",
    "US20080236804A1",
    "US20080095695A1",
    "US20080149166A1",
    "US20080241755A1",
    "US20090130370A1",
    "US20090032496A1",
    "US20100027221A1",
    "US20090181239A1",
    "US20090246507A1",
    "US20110020593A1",
    "US20090325063A1",
    "EP2251302A1",
    "US20110086464A1",
    "US20120321961A1",
    "WO2013007645A2",
    "US20140140008A1",
    "JP2013115094A",
    "US20130234313A1",
    "US20130294999A1",
    "US20140015158A1",
    "US20140099493A1",
    "US20140224466A1",
    "US8975268B2",
    "US8975281B2",
    "US20180218847A1",
    "US20160104655A1",
    "WO2015142856A1",
    "US20150360418A1",
    "US20170120220A1",
    "US20150360948A1",
    "US20160088720A1",
    "US20160260687A1",
    "US20180187020A1",
    "US20170108462A1",
    "US20190002284A1",
    "US20170198551A1",
    "US20190115278A1",
    "US20170342550A1",
    "US20190311970A1",
    "US20180108594A1",
    "US20180318467A1",
    "US20180254236A1",
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    "US20190057926A1",
    "US20190077666A1",
    "US20190323785A1"
  ]
}

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