# US 8,541,058 B2 · Palladium thiolate bonding of carbon nanotubes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,541,058 B2 - Document ID: US8541058B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/719,759 - Filed: 2010-03-08 - Published: 2011-01-27 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-06 - Applicants: Timothy S. Fisher; Stephen L. Hodson; Baratunde A. Cola; Thiruvelu Bhuvana; Giridhar Kulkarni - Inventors: Timothy S. Fisher; Stephen L. Hodson; Baratunde A. Cola; Thiruvelu Bhuvana; Giridhar Kulkarni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541058B2 ## CPC - B05D 3/0254: {After-treatment} - B05D 3/108: {Curing} - C09K 5/14: Solid materials, e.g. powdery or granular - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract Carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays are attractive thermal interface materials with high compliance and conductance that can remain effective over a wide temperature range. Disclosed herein are CNT interface structures in which free CNT ends are bonded using palladium hexadecanethiolate Pd(SC16H35)2 to an opposing substrate (one-sided interface) or opposing CNT array (two-sided interface) to enhance contact conductance while maintaining a compliant joint. The palladium weld is mechanically stable at high temperatures. A transient photoacoustic (PA) method is used to measure the thermal resistance of the palladium bonded CNT interfaces. The interfaces were bonded at moderate pressures and then tested at 34 kPa using the PA technique. At an interface temperature of approximately 250° C., one-sided and two-sided palladium bonded interfaces achieved thermal resistances near 10 mm2 K/W and 5 mm2 K/W, respectively. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for fabricating a thermal interface, comprising: providing a growth substrate; growing carbon nanotubes from the growth substrate, each nanotube being anchored at one end to the growth substrate; aligning the nanotubes in a direction generally perpendicular to the growth substrate; applying a solution containing a metal organic compound to the nanotube array, wherein the solution includes a metal alkanethiolate; and thermally decomposing the solution around the nanotubes and the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 which further comprises compressing the nanotubes during said decomposing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said decomposing is performed in air, nitrogen or high vacuum. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said decomposing is performed in a heated environment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 which further comprises increasing the number of defect sites in the CNTs prior to said applying the solution to the aligned CNT array. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the solution includes a metal butanethiolate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the solution includes one of palladium hexadecanethiolate or palladium butanethiolate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the solution includes a metal acetate, thiol and toluene. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the solution is solvent based. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 which further comprises removing the excess thiolate during said decomposing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate includes a layer of at least one of Ti or Cr to promote adhesion of the carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate includes material chosen from the group of aluminum, platinum, gold, nickel, iron, tin, lead, silver, titanium, indium, or copper. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said growing is by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said carbon nanotubes are multi-walled. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 which further comprises: providing a contact substrate; contacting carbon nanotubes to the contact substrate; and thermally decomposing the solution around the nanotubes, the growth substrate and the contact substrate. ### Claim 16 A method for fabricating a thermal interface, comprising: providing a first growth substrate and a second growth substrate; growing a first plurality of carbon nanotubes from a first surface of the first growth substrate, each nanotube of the first plurality being anchored at one end to the first surface; growing a second plurality of carbon nanotubes from a second surface of the second growth substrate, each nanotube of the second plurality being anchored at one end to the second surface; placing the first plurality of nanotubes in contact with the second plurality of nanotubes with the first surface being opposite of the second surface; applying a solution containing a metal organic compound to the contacting nanotubes and to the first surface and the second surface, wherein the solution includes a metal alkanethiolate; and thermally decomposing the solution around the contacting nanotubes and the first surface and the second surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 which further comprises pressing the first surface against the second surface before said decomposing.