Electrothermal interface material enhancer

Abstract

Vertically oriented carbon nanotubes (CNT) arrays have been simultaneously synthesized at relatively low growth temperatures (i.e., <700° C.) on both sides of aluminum foil via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The resulting CNT arrays were highly dense, and the average CNT diameter in the arrays was approximately 10 nm, A CNT TIM that consist of CNT arrays directly and simultaneously synthesized on both sides of aluminum foil has been fabricated. The TIM is insertable and allows temperature sensitive and/or rough substrates to be interfaced by highly conductive and conformable CNT arrays. The use of metallic foil is economical and may prove favorable in manufacturing due to its wide use.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 a thin flexible member having planar first and second opposing sides; and   a plurality of nanoparticles grown from said first side, and   a heat sensitive material on said first side, said nanoparticles extending into said heat sensitive material.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said heat sensitive member comprises a thermally setting adhesive. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said heat sensitive member comprises a phase change material. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said member includes a layer of catalytic material on said first side, and said nanoparticles are carbon nanotubes grown at a density greater than about 1×10 8  nanotubes per mm 2  from said catalytic material and substantially aligned perpendicularly to said first side. 
     
     
         19 . A method for conducting heat from an object, comprising:
 providing a first hotter object having a first surface, a second cooler object having a second surface, and a separable plastically deformable member having a third surface and a plurality of nanostructures on the third surface;   placing the member between the first surface and the second surface;   pressing the first object and the second object together;   plastically deforming the member by said pressing; and   conducting heat from the first object through the member and into the second object.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the nanostructures are carbon nanotubes grown from the third surface and substantially aligned perpendicularly to the third surface. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the first object generates heat by conducting electricity and the second object is adapted and configured to reject heat to ambient conditions. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said pressing applies a pressure to the nanostructures greater than about 50 kPa. 
     
     
         23 . A method for conducting heat from an object, comprising:
 providing a first hotter object having a first surface, a second cooler object having a second surface, and a thin member having a third surface and a quantity of phase change material on the third surface and a plurality of nanostructures attached to the third surface and in contact with the phase change material;   placing the member between the first surface and the second surface and creating a heat conduction path from the first object through the member to the second object; and   conducting heat from the first object through the phase change material and into the second object.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said conducting heat changes the material from solid to liquid, and which further comprises retaining the liquid material between the first object and the second object by the nanostructures. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the nanostructures are carbon nanotubes substantially aligned perpendicularly to the third surface. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the thin member is a metallic foil. 
     
     
         27 . A method for joining two members, comprising:
 providing a first member with a first structural interface having a first shape, a second member with a second structural interface, and a third flexible member having a plurality of nanoparticles attached thereto which increase their temperature in response to electromagnetic radiation;   placing the third member at one of the first interface or the second interface;   contacting the first member to the second member at their respective structural interfaces, the third member being between the first interface and the second interface;   exposing the third member to electromagnetic radiation;   heating the nanoparticles by said exposing; and   joining the first member to the second member by said heating.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said joining is by melting a portion of said first member or said second member. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein at least of said first member or said second member is fabricated from an organic material. 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising:
 providing a flexible metallic substrate;   placing on the substrate a catalyst for synthesis of carbon nanotubes;   synthesizing with the catalyst a plurality of carbon nanotubes; and   vertically aligning the plurality of nanotubes relative to the substrate during said synthesizing.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the material of the substrate comprises at least one of aluminum, platinum, gold, or copper. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said synthesizing is by chemical vapor deposition enhanced with plasma generated by microwave energy. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the catalyst is one of Fe, Co, Ni, and Pd. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said synthesizing grows the carbon nanotubes with a density less than about 10 9  nanotubes per mm 2 . 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the density is greater than about 10 7  nanotubes per mm 2 .