Compressible, thermally-conductive, removable nanocomposite gasket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017166721-A1
Application number	US-201514966746-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 11, 2015
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A compressible, thermally-conductive, removable nanocomposite gasket includes: a nanocomposite foam; and a nanoparticle filler, wherein the nanocomposite foam has a filler loading of less than approximately 20%. A compressible, thermally-conductive, removable nanocomposite gasket includes: a nanocomposite foam; a nanoparticle filler; and a metallic mesh embedded in the foam wherein the nanocomposite foam has a filler loading of less than approximately 20%.

First claim

1 . A compressible, thermally-conductive nanocomposite gasket, comprising:
a compressible nanocomposite foam; and a nanoparticle filler, wherein the nanocomposite foam has a filler loading of less than approximately 20%, wherein the gasket is configured to be positioned between a heat source and a heat sink, so as to direct heat from the heat source to the heat sink, and wherein the gasket is removable from the position between the heat source and the heat sink, the gasket not comprising an adhesive.

2 . The gasket of claim 1 , wherein the nanocomposite foam comprises one or more nanocomposite appliques.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The gasket of claim 1 , further comprising one or more fasteners configured for attaching the heat source.

5 . The gasket of claim 1 , wherein the nanocomposite foam comprises one or more of a silicone polymer, a urethane polymer, and another nanocomposite foam.

6 . The gasket of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle filler comprises one or more of a graphene, graphene stacks comprising a few layers of graphene, single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), boron nitride nanotubes, metal nanowires (MNWs), partially oxidized graphene (GOx), plated CNTs, plated SWCNTs, plated boron nitride nanotubes, plated MNWs, and plated GOx.

7 . The gasket of claim 1 , wherein the nanocomposite foam has a thickness between approximately 0.1 millimeters (mm) and approximately 5 mm.

8 . The gasket of claim 1 , wherein the nanocomposite foam is loaded with highly conductive particles having a thermal conductivity of greater than approximately 50 Watts per meter-Kelvin (W-mK).

9 . A compressible, thermally-conductive nanocomposite gasket, comprising:
a compressible nanocomposite foam; a nanoparticle filler; and a metallic mesh embedded in the foam, the mesh having a flexural modulus of less than approximately 0.5 GigaPascal (GPa), wherein the nanocomposite foam has a filler loading of less than approximately 20%, wherein the gasket is configured to be positioned between a heat source and a heat sink, so as to direct heat from the heat source to the heat sink, and wherein the gasket is removable from the position between the heat source and the heat sink, the gasket not comprising an adhesive.

10 . The gasket of claim 9 , wherein the nanocomposite foam comprises one or more of silicone foam, a non-silicone nanocomposite foam, a silicone polymer, a graphene, graphene stacks comprising a few layers of graphene, single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), boron nitride nanotubes, metal nanowires (MNWs), partially oxidized graphene (GOx), plated CNTs, plated SWCNTs, plated boron nitride nanotubes, plated MNWs, and plated GOx.

11 . The gasket of claim 9 , wherein the mesh is one or more of corrugated, bent and folded in a manner to span the thickness of the gasket.

12 . The gasket of claim 9 , wherein the mesh comprises a plurality of one or more of exposed corrugations and edge surfaces.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The gasket of claim 9 , wherein the mesh has thermal conductivity of at least approximately 1 Watt per meter-Kelvin (W-mK).

15 . The gasket of claim 9 , wherein the mesh comprises one or more of foil, copper mesh, silver mesh, aluminum mesh, tungsten mesh, gold mesh, another metal mesh, an alloy of one or more metal, and one or more plated metals.

16 . The gasket of claim 9 , wherein the foil is perforated.

17 . The gasket of claim 9 , wherein the gasket has a thermal conductivity of at least approximately 0.54 Watts per meter-Kelvin [W/(m-K)].

18 . The gasket of claim 9 , wherein the gasket is configured to function over a temperature range from approximately −100 degrees Centigrade (° C.) to approximately +150° C.

19 . The gasket of claim 10 , wherein one or more of a degree of oxidation of the GOx and the carbon:oxygen (C:O) ratio of the GOx are adjusted.

20 . The gasket of claim 19 , wherein the C:O ratio of the GOx is adjusted using an elevated temperature treatment of the nanocomposite foam ranging between approximately 120 degrees Centigrade and approximately 180 degrees Centigrade.

21 . The gasket of claim 20 , wherein the elevated temperature treatment effects an in situ conversion of GOx to graphene.

22 . The gasket of claim 21 , wherein the graphene enhances the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite foam by a factor of at least approximately five.

23 . A compressible, thermally-conductive nanocomposite gasket, comprising:
a nanocomposite foam comprising partially oxidized graphene (GOx), wherein the carbon:oxygen (C:O) ratio of the GOx is adjusted using an elevated temperature treatment of the nanocomposite foam ranging between approximately 120 degrees Centigrade and approximately 180 degrees Centigrade, the elevated temperature treatment effects an in situ conversion of GOx to graphene; a compressible nanoparticle filler; and a metallic mesh embedded in the foam, the mesh having a flexural modulus of less than approximately 0.5 GigaPascal (GPa), wherein the graphene enhances the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite foam by a factor of at least approximately ten, wherein the nanocomposite foam has a filler loading of less than approximately 20%, wherein the gasket is configured to be positioned between a heat source and a heat sink, so as to direct heat from the heat source to the heat sink, and wherein the gasket is removable from the position between the heat source and the heat sink, the gasket not comprising an adhesive.

Assignees

• Northrop Grumman Systems Corp

Inventors

• Starkovich John A
• Tice Jesse B
• Silverman Edward M
• Peng Hsiao-Hu

Classifications

• C08J9/008 Primary

  Nanoparticles · CPC title

• C08J2375/04

  Polyurethanes · CPC title

• C08J2383/04

  Polysiloxanes · CPC title

• C08J9/35 Primary

  Composite foams, i.e. continuous macromolecular foams containing discontinuous cellular particles or fragments · CPC title

• C09K5/14

  Solid materials, e.g. powdery or granular · CPC title