Thermal interface material and method for making same

Abstract

A thermal interface material (40) includes a polymer matrix (32) and an array of carbon nanotubes (22) incorporated in the polymer matrix. The polymer matrix has a thermally conductive first face (42) and an opposite thermally conductive second face (44). The carbon nanotubes are substantially parallel to each other, and extend between the first and the second faces. A preferred method for making the thermal interface material includes the steps of: (a) forming the array of carbon nanotubes on a substrate (11); (b) immersing the carbon nanotubes in a liquid prepolymer (31) such that the liquid prepolymer infuses into the array of carbon nanotubes; (c) polymerizing the liquid prepolymer to obtain the polymer matrix having the carbon nanotubes secured therein; and (d) peeling the polymer matrix having the carbon nanotubes off from the substrate to obtain the thermal interface material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.