Janus-Structured Thermal Interface Materials with Superb Vibration Adaptability for Dynamic Thermal Management

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Miniaturization and rising power densities in electronics demand advanced thermal management solutions.
• Conventional thermal interface materials (TIMs) degrade under thermal shock and vibration, reducing device reliability.
• Effective thermal management at material interfaces is crucial for modern electronic devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a Janus-structured TIM (J-CF/PW) that mitigates heat concentration and sustains thermal performance under vibration.
• To investigate the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of the novel TIM.
• To establish a paradigm for synergistic thermomechanical optimization in dynamic thermal management.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a Janus-structured TIM (J-CF/PW) using carbon foam (CF) and high-entropy paraffin wax (PW).
• Characterization of thermal conductivity in vertical and horizontal directions.
• Evaluation of compressive recoverability and stability under mechanical vibration.

Main Results:

• J-CF/PW exhibits significant thermal conductivity enhancements: 2363% vertically and 15742% horizontally.
• The material retains high latent heat with low carbon foam content (7.7 wt %).
• Excellent compressive recoverability (30% strain, 10,000 cycles) and stable thermal contact up to 50 Hz vibration were achieved.

Conclusions:

• The J-CF/PW design offers superior thermal management capabilities for electronics.
• The asymmetric architecture effectively buffers heat flux and provides continuous heat transfer pathways.
• This study presents a new approach for thermomechanical optimization in dynamic thermal management applications.