Enhancement of thermal interface materials with carbon nanotube arrays

Author

• Jun Xu, School of Mechanical Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue UniversityFollow
• Timothy Fisher, Birck Nanotechnology Center and School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue UniversityFollow

Abstract

This paper describes an experimental study of thermal contact conductance enhancement enabled by carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays synthesized directly on silicon wafers using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Testing based on the one-dimensional reference bar method occurred in a high-vacuum environment with radiation shielding, and temperature measurements were made with an infrared camera. Results from other thermal interface materials are presented, as well as combinations of these materials with CNT arrays. Dry CNT arrays produce a minimum thermal interface resistance of 19.8 mm2 K/W, while the combination of a CNT array and a phase change material produces a minimum resistance of 5.2 mm2 K/W.

Comments

doi:10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2005.09.039

Keywords

Carbon nanotube array; Thermal contact conductance enhancement; Thermal interface material

Date of this Version

1-6-2006

Recommended Citation

Xu, Jun and Fisher, Timothy, "Enhancement of thermal interface materials with carbon nanotube arrays" (2006). Birck and NCN Publications. Paper 50.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/nanopub/50