High-Performance Thermal Interface Materials with Magnetic Aligned Carbon Fibers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Composites
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Effective heat dissipation is critical for high-power electronics.
• Traditional thermal interface materials often face trade-offs between thermal conductivity and mechanical properties.
• Developing advanced materials with tailored structures is essential for improved thermal management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate novel thermal interface materials using magnetically aligned carbon fibers (CFs) in a silicone rubber matrix.
• To investigate the influence of magnetic field density on CF alignment and composite properties.
• To optimize materials for high thermal conductivity and low hardness.

Main Methods:

• Milled carbon fibers (150 μm) were dispersed in a silicone rubber matrix.
• A high magnetic field (up to 9 T) was applied to align the CFs during fabrication.
• Experimental studies and theoretical analysis were used to correlate magnetic field density, CF alignment, and material properties.
• Thermal conductivity and hardness were measured, and thermal management performance was tested.

Main Results:

• Increased magnetic flux density led to higher CF alignment and enhanced thermal conductivity.
• A composite with 20 vol% CF loading achieved a thermal conductivity of 11.76 W/(m·K) at 9 T due to ordered structure.
• Low filler loading and discontinuous structure resulted in a low hardness of 60-70 (shore 00).
• The material demonstrated effective thermal management in a test system.

Conclusions:

• High magnetic field alignment is an effective method for fabricating high-performance thermal interface materials.
• The developed CF-rubber composites offer a promising combination of high thermal conductivity and low hardness.
• These materials show potential for advanced thermal management applications in electronics.