Enhanced Thermal Contact Conductance Using Carbon Nanotube Array Interfaces

Jun Xu, Birck Nanotechnology Center, School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
Timothy S. Fisher, Birck Nanotechnology Center, School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University

Abstract

Heat-conduction interfaces that employ carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays have been fabricated and studied experiementally using a reference calorimeter testing rig in a vacuum environment with infrared temperature measurements. Arrays of multiwalled CNTs are grown directly on silicon substrates with microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Iron and nickel were used as CNT catalysts. CNT arrays grown under differnt synthesis conditions exhibit different pressure-contact conductance characteristics. The thermal contact resistance of CNTs with a copper interface exhibits promising results with a minimum value of 19.8 mm^2K/W at a pressure of 0.445 MPa.