Transferable Percolated Particle Monolayers Derived from Marangoni Flows for Thermally Conductive Dielectric Coatings

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Thermal Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• High power density electronics face thermal management limitations impacting performance and size.
• Existing dielectric materials struggle to conduct heat effectively without compromising electronic integrity.
• Highly thermally conductive materials like hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and diamond present processing challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop advanced thermal management solutions using hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN).
• To investigate novel processing techniques for enhancing h-BN's thermal conductivity.
• To compare the thermal spreading capabilities of different h-BN film architectures.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of highly oriented single-particle thick h-BN films via a modified Langmuir-Blodgett process.
• Densification of h-BN films using the Marangoni effect to improve thermal conductivity.
• Production of high-loading (∼60 vol %) h-BN films for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Achieved remarkable thermal conductivity enhancement in h-BN films with minimal thickness.
• Demonstrated superior thermal spreading in highly oriented h-BN monolayers compared to less-coordinated systems.
• Successfully applied these h-BN films to glass fiber reinforced polymers and a single-board computer.

Conclusions:

• The developed h-BN films offer a viable solution for advanced thermal management in demanding electronic applications.
• Modified Langmuir-Blodgett and Marangoni effect processing significantly enhance h-BN thermal properties.
• These findings pave the way for improved performance and reliability in high-power electronics and aerospace components.