Materials Including Thermally Reversible Gels

Abstract

Materials are disclosed that include or are based on thermally reversible gels, such as thermally reversible gelled fluids, oil gels and solvent gel resins. In an exemplary embodiment, a material includes at least one filler in a thermally reversible gel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A material comprising at least one filler in a thermally reversible gel including block copolymer and process oil, wherein the material comprises a pad formulated to be compliant against a surface of a device at room temperature and during operation of the device. 
     
     
         2 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer comprises di-block copolymer. 
     
     
         3 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer comprises di-block styrenic copolymer. 
     
     
         4 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer comprises di-block and tri-block copolymers. 
     
     
         5 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer comprises di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers. 
     
     
         6 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer comprises di-block copolymer or tri-block copolymer. 
     
     
         7 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer comprises tri-block copolymer. 
     
     
         8 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer comprises tri-block styrenic copolymer. 
     
     
         9 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer comprises styrenic copolymer. 
     
     
         10 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the process oil to the block copolymer is at least about 4 to 1 but not more than about 12 to 1. 
     
     
         11 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the process oil to the block copolymer is not more than about 5 to 1. 
     
     
         12 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the process oil to the block copolymer is at least about 11 to 1. 
     
     
         13 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the process oil to the block copolymer is about 4.5 to 1. 
     
     
         14 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the material includes the at least one filler in a total amount that is about 40 percent to about 99 percent of the material by weight; and/or   the material has a hardness that is at least about 60 Shore 00 but not more than 90 Shore 00; and/or   the material is silicone free, such that the material is usable with no occurrence of silicone migration or volatility due to the absence of silicone in the formulation; and/or   the process oil is less than or equal to about 43.2 percent of the material by weight.   
     
     
         15 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one filler comprises an electrically-conductive filler. 
     
     
         16 . The material of  claim 15 , wherein the material comprises an electrically-conductive thermal insulator. 
     
     
         17 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one filler comprises an electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorber. 
     
     
         18 . The material of  claim 17 , wherein the material comprises an EMI absorbing thermal insulator. 
     
     
         19 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one filler comprises a thermally-conductive filler. 
     
     
         20 . The material of  claim 19 , wherein the material comprises a thermal interface material. 
     
     
         21 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one filler comprises an electrically-conductive filler, an electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorber, and/or a thermally-conductive filler. 
     
     
         22 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the device includes an electrical component, and wherein the pad is formulated to be compliant against a surface of the electrical component at room temperature and during operation of the electrical component.