Thermal interface materials including thermally reversible gels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016160104-A1
Application number	US-201615043808-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 15, 2016
Priority date	Feb 23, 2010
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Thermal interface 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 thermal interface material includes at least one thermally conductive filler in a thermally reversible gel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A thermal interface material comprising at least one thermally conductive filler in a thermally reversible gel including di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers and process oil, wherein a ratio of the process oil to the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers is at least about 4 to 1 but not more than about 12 to 1.

2 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the process oil to the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers is not more than about 5 to 1.

3 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the process oil to the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers is at least about 11 to 1.

4 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the process oil to the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers is about 4.5 to 1.

5 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the process oil to the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers is about 11 to 1.

6 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the di-block styrenic copolymer to the tri-block styrenic copolymer is at least about 0.85 to 1 but not more than about 1.6 to 1.

7 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the di-block styrenic copolymer to the tri-block styrenic copolymer is at least about 1 to 1.

8 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the di-block styrenic copolymer to the tri-block styrenic copolymer is about 1 to 1.

9 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the di-block styrenic copolymer to the tri-block styrenic copolymer is about 1.5 to 1.

10 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein:
the ratio of the process oil to the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers is about 4.5 to 1; and the ratio of the di-block styrenic copolymer to the tri-block styrenic copolymer is about 1.5 to 1.

11 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein:
the ratio of the process oil to the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers is about 11.1 to 1; and the ratio of the di-block styrenic copolymer to the tri-block styrenic copolymer is about 1.5 to 1.

12 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein:
the ratio of the process oil to the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers is about 4.5 to 1; and the ratio of the di-block styrenic copolymer to the tri-block styrenic copolymer is about 1.2 to 1.

13 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein:
the ratio of the process oil to the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers is about 4.4 to 1; and the ratio of the di-block styrenic copolymer to the tri-block styrenic copolymer is about 1 to 1

14 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein the thermal interface material includes the at least one thermally conductive filler and/or one or more additives in a total amount less than or equal to about 99 percent of the thermal interface material by weight.

15 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein the thermal interface material includes the at least one thermally conductive filler and/or one or more additives in a total amount that is at least about 40 percent but not more than about 99 percent of the thermal interface material by weight.

16 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein the thermal interface material has a hardness less than or equal to about 90 Shore 00.

17 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein the thermal interface material has a hardness or at least 60 Shore 00 but not more than about 90 Shore 00.

18 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein:
a ratio of the di-block styrenic copolymer to the tri-block styrenic copolymer is at least about 0.85 to 1 but not more than about 1.6 to 1; the thermal interface material includes the at least one thermally conductive filler and/or one or more additives in a total amount that is about 40 percent to about 99 percent of the thermal interface material by weight; and the thermal interface material has a hardness that is at least about 60 Shore 00 but not more than 90 Shore 00.

19 . The thermal interface material of claim 1 , wherein:
the process oil comprises paraffinic oil; the thermal interface material is soft and compliant at room temperature, the thermal interface material operable for filling a gap between thermal transfer surfaces to thereby allow heat to pass from one of the thermal transfer surfaces through the thermal interface material to the other one of the thermal transfer surfaces; the at least one thermally conductive filler comprises one or more of boron nitride, alumina, aluminum, graphite, copper, and combinations thereof; and the thermal interface material is silicone free.

20 . A thermal interface material comprising at least one thermally conductive filler in a thermally reversible gel including di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymers and process oil, wherein:
the thermal interface material has a hardness less than or equal to about 88 Shore 00; the process oil is less than or equal to about 43.2 percent of the thermal interface material by weight; the di-block styrenic copolymer is less than or equal to about 5.3 percent of the thermal interface material by weight; a di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymer blend is less than or equal to about 10.6 percent of the thermal interface material by weight, or the tri-block styrenic copolymer is less than or equal to about 6.7 percent of the thermal interface material by weight; and the at least one thermally conductive filler is less than or equal to about 98 percent of the thermal interface material by weight.

21 . The thermal interface material of claim 20 , wherein:
the process oil is about 13.5 percent to about 43.2 percent of the thermal interface material by weight; the di-block styrenic copolymer is about 1.7 percent to about 5.3 percent of the thermal interface material by weight; the di-block and tri-block styrenic copolymer blend is about 3.4 percent to about 10.6 percent of the thermal interface material by weight, or the tri-block styrenic copolymer is about 1.1 percent to about 6.7 percent of the thermal interface material by weight; the at least one thermally conductive filler is about 40.3 percent to about 81 percent of the thermal interface material by weight; and the thermal interface material has a hardness within a range from 28 Shore 00 to 88 Shore 00.

Assignees

• Laird Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Bruzda Karen J
• Strader Jason L

Classifications

• H10W40/735

  by melting or evaporation of solids · CPC title

• H10W40/70

  Fillings or auxiliary members in containers or in encapsulations for thermal protection or control · CPC title

• H10W72/353

  not comprising solid metals or solid metalloids, e.g. ceramics · CPC title

• H10W72/354

  comprising polymers · CPC title

• H10W72/352

  comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. solders · CPC title