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Gallium-based thermal interface material with high compliance and wettability

Applied Physics A volume 107, pages 701–708 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

This study reports a gallium-based thermal interface material (GBTIM) consisting of gallium oxides dispersed uniformly into the 99 % gallium metal. The wettability of GBTIM with other materials is disclosed and compared. The thermal conductivity of GBTIM measured by a computer-controlled Mathis TCi thermal analyzer is ∼13.07 W m−1 K−1 at room temperature, which is significantly higher than that of conventional thermal greases. An experimental facility is described to measure the thermal resistance across the GBTIM under steady-state conditions and the thermal interface resistance is measured as low as 2.6 mm2 kW−1 with a pressure of 0.05 MPa, which is an order lower than that of the best commercialized thermal greases. Further, the GBTIM is formed into a desired shape to enhance thermal transfer, such as semi-liquid paste or thermal pad, which can be cut into a required shape.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the valuable discussions with Prof. Yixin Zhou, Mr. Peipei Li, Ms. Haiyan Li and Mr. Yueguang Deng of Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2711, Beijing, 100190, P.R. China

    Yunxia Gao & Jing Liu

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  1. Yunxia Gao
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  2. Jing Liu
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Correspondence to Jing Liu.

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Gao, Y., Liu, J. Gallium-based thermal interface material with high compliance and wettability. Appl. Phys. A 107, 701–708 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-6887-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-6887-5

Keywords

  • Gallium
  • Wettability
  • High Thermal Conductivity
  • Thermal Contact Resistance
  • Copper Block