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US 12,629,784 B2Granted
Solder-carbon nanostructure composites and methods of making and using thereof
AssigneeCarbice Corporation
InventorsBaratunde Cola, Craig Green, A. Davin Oetomo
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Abstract
Solder-carbon nanostructure composites and methods of making and using thereof are described. Such composites can be useful for thermal application and can serve, for example, as thermal interface materials (TIMs).
Claims33
A solder-carbon nanostructure composite comprising:
- a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, having lengths in the range of 1-1000 microns, further comprising a metal coating thereon, and which are dispersed within and infiltrated by a solder material;
- and
- wherein the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes is supported on or attached to a substrate;
- wherein the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes have a density on the substrate surface that ranges from about 1×107 to 1×1011 carbon nanotubes per mm2;
- wherein the substrate has a melting temperature that is higher than solder material's melting temperature;
- wherein the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes comprises defects thereon due to exposure to a plasma treatment, an acid bath treatment, and/or due to the growth process of the plurality of vertically aligned nanotubes;
- and/or
- wherein the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes comprises functional groups thereon due to a polymer wrapping the plurality of carbon nanotubes.
5 more elements
A method of making a solder-carbon nanostructure composite, the method comprising the steps of:
- (1) forming or providing a carbon nanostructure array comprising a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes;
- wherein the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes is supported on or attached to a substrate;
- wherein the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes have a density on the substrate surface that ranges from about 1×107 to 1×1011 carbon nanotubes per mm2;
- (2) optionally encapsulating the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes of the carbon nanostructure array in a suitable encapsulant, which is a polymer-based material;
- (3) optionally exposing the optionally encapsulated carbon nanostructure array to a treatment that produces defect sites on the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes;
- (4) optionally removing the encapsulant;
- (5) depositing or forming a metal-based coating on the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes of the carbon nanostructure array of step (1);
- (6) infiltrating the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes of the carbon nanostructure array of step (1) with a molten solder material;
- wherein the substrate has a melting temperature that is higher than the temperature of the molten solder material and the substrate does not melt during the step of infiltrating;
- (7) allowing the molten solder material to cool and solidify in order to form the solder-carbon nanostructure composite wherein the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes are dispersed within and infiltrated by the solidified solder material;
- and
- (8) optionally encapsulating the solder-carbon nanostructure composite in a polymer.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.