Professor Deborah Chung and graduate student Chia-Ken Leong of the University at Buffalo (part of SUNY) have been studying the use of carbon black dispersion in an organic vehicle as potential thermal pastes for heatsink interfaces (to appear in Carbon, an international journal sponsored by the American Carbon Society).

Professor Deborah Chung and graduate student Chia-Ken Leong of the University at Buffalo (part of SUNY) have been studying the use of carbon black dispersion in an organic vehicle as potential thermal pastes for heatsink interfaces (to appear in Carbon, an international journal sponsored by the American Carbon Society).

Carbon black is a finely divided form (aka "soot") produced by incompletely burning hydrocarbons. Thermal pastes have to balance thermal conductivity against other properties such as conformability and spreadability. The researchers looked at the use of carbon black in both polyethylene glycol (PEG) and di(ethylene glycol) butyl ether. Pastes based on PEG provided superior thermal stability to butyl ether above 100C.

The scientists achieved thermal contact conductances between copper discs up to 3E5W/m2/C for PEG containing 3vol.% ethyl cellulose and 1.25vol.% carbon black. This compares with 2E5W/m2/C for tin-lead-antimony solder. The conductance was tested using a laser-flash technique.

"The invented material is superior to all other thermal pastes, including those involving exotic materials such as carbon nanotubes and diamond," says Chung. "It even surpasses solder - the best material currently available for improving the thermal contact between two surfaces."

Chung has made a patent application for the paste, working with the university's office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach (STOR).

AngelTech Live III: Join us on 12 April 2021!

AngelTech Live III will be broadcast on 12 April 2021, 10am BST, rebroadcast on 14 April (10am CTT) and 16 April (10am PST) and will feature online versions of the market-leading physical events: CS International and PIC International PLUS a brand new Silicon Semiconductor International Track!

Thanks to the great diversity of the semiconductor industry, we are always chasing new markets and developing a range of exciting technologies.

2021 is no different. Over the last few months interest in deep-UV LEDs has rocketed, due to its capability to disinfect and sanitise areas and combat Covid-19. We shall consider a roadmap for this device, along with technologies for boosting its output.

We shall also look at microLEDs, a display with many wonderful attributes, identifying processes for handling the mass transfer of tiny emitters that hold the key to commercialisation of this technology.

We shall also discuss electrification of transportation, underpinned by wide bandgap power electronics and supported by blue lasers that are ideal for processing copper.

Additional areas we will cover include the development of GaN ICs, to improve the reach of power electronics; the great strides that have been made with gallium oxide; and a look at new materials, such as cubic GaN and AlScN.

Having attracted 1500 delegates over the last 2 online summits, the 3rd event promises to be even bigger and better – with 3 interactive sessions over 1 day and will once again prove to be a key event across the semiconductor and photonic integrated circuits calendar.

So make sure you sign up today and discover the latest cutting edge developments across the compound semiconductor and integrated photonics value chain.

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