Electronics Cooling will host its next webinar, “Advanced Composite Thermal Management Materials and Applications” on June 26, 2013.
Abstract
Thermal management is a key problem for aerospace/defense, commercial and consumer electronic and photonic (e.g. laser and LED) systems. Advanced thermal management materials are critical for meeting many system requirements. A previous Electronics Cooling webinar presented an overview of the two main categories, advanced composites and carbonaceous (carbon-based) materials. In this webinar, we take a more focused look at advanced composites.
The first of a new generation of advanced composite thermal materials, silicon carbide particle-reinforced aluminum (Al/SiC) was first used in thermal management by the speaker’s GE group in the 1980s. It is now well established in a wide range of commercial and aerospace/defense applications. There are now an increasing number of new composites with thermal conductivities up to ~1000 W/m-K, more than twice that of copper. They also have low densities and low coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs). Some are cheaper than traditional materials. Payoffs include: reduced component and system cost; reduced weight; increased reliability; reduced junction temperatures; increased power and light output; low-CTE, thermally conductive printed circuit boards (PCBs), potentially eliminating the need for underfill; CTE matching allows direct attach with hard solders, reducing thermal resistance and solder fatigue; and others.
This presentation covers key advanced composite thermal management materials and applications. We also look at current and future advanced reinforcements, such as diamond particles, carbon nanotubes, graphene and graphite nanoplatelets.
Carl Zweben Ph. D.
Advanced Thermal Materials Consultant
Life Fellow, ASME; Fellow, SAMPE & ASM; Associate Fellow, AIAA
