Thermally conductive structural composite material and method

1. A heat dissipative composite material, comprising:

a) a carbon fiber lay-up including a thermally conductive carbon fiber forming a substantially continuous thermally conductive path along the carbon fiber layup;

b) a pyrolizable resin impregnated into the thermally conductive carbon fiber and pyrolized therein to a graphitic carbon state to form a graphitic carbon laminate structure with the carbon fiber; and

c) a structural resin infused into subsequent voids in the graphitic carbon laminate structure formed by pyrolization of the pyrolizable resin, the structural resin being cured therein to provide strength to the graphitic carbon laminate structure.

2. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the structural resin has a resin toughness greater than approximately 60 J/m 2 .

3. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive carbon fiber has a thermal conductivity of greater than approximately 20 W/mK.

4. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the graphitic carbon laminate structure has a thermal conductivity of greater than approximately 10 W/mK.

5. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the carbon fiber lay-up further includes a fiber lay-up selected from the group consisting of fiber windings, fiber mats, chopped fibers, fiber plies, and combinations thereof.

6. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the carbon fiber lay-up includes a thermally conductive fiber selected from the group consisting of a pitch based carbon fiber, a pitch based graphite fiber, and combinations thereof.

7. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pyrolizable resin is selected from the group consisting of a phenolic resin, a phenol formaldehyde resin, phenol-acetaldehyde, phenol-furfural, M-cresolformaldehyde, resorcinal-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, and combinations thereof.

8. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pyrolizable resin is selected from the group consisting of a cyanate ester, a bisphenol cyanate ester, a novalac cyanate ester, and combinations thereof.

9. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the structural resin is selected from the group consisting of a structural epoxy, an epoxy novalac, a polycarbonate resin, a polycarbonate-polyester blend resin, a polyester resin, a glycidyl ether epoxy, a diglycidyl ether epoxy, a tridiglycidyl ether epoxy, a diglycerol, mannitol, a silicone polymer resin, a melamine resin, a heterocyclic resin, a polyamide resin, and combinations thereof.

10. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the structural resin is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic resin, an olefin resin, a cyclic olefin, a dicyclopentadienes (DCPD), and combinations thereof.

11. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pyrolizable resin is pyrolized at a temperature greater than approximately 1800° F. to form the subsequent voids in the graphitic carbon laminate structure.

12. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the voids or structural resin comprise approximately 35% of the laminate structure by volume.

13. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the structural resin does not substantially contribute to thermal ablation.

14. A composite material in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the structural resin is un-pyrolized.

15. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the material is sized and shaped to form an enclosure for an electronic device.

16. A composite material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the structural resin is un-pyrolized.

17. A heat dissipative composite material, comprising:

a) a carbon fiber lay-up formed from a pitch based carbon fiber having a thermal conductivity greater than approximately 20 W/mK;

b) a pyrolizable resin impregnated into the carbon fiber and pyrolized therein to a graphitic carbon state to form a carbon graphitic-carbon laminate structure with the carbon fiber; and

c) a structural resin infused into the laminate structure and cured therein to provide strength to the laminate structure and forming a resin infused carbon-graphitic-carbon matrix having a thermal conductivity greater than approximately 10 W/mK.

18. A composite material in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the structural resin has a resin toughness greater than approximately 60 J/m 2 .

19. A composite material in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the pyrolizable resin is selected from the group consisting of a phenolic resin, a phenol formaldehyde resin, phenol-acetaldehyde, phenol-furfural, M-cresolformaldehyde, resorcinal-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, cyanate esther, and combinations thereof.

20. A composite material in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the pyrolizable resin is selected from the group consisting of a cyanate ester, a bisphenol cyanate ester, a novalac cyanate ester, and combinations thereof.

21. A composite material in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the structural resin is selected from the group consisting of a structural epoxy, an epoxy novalac, a polycarbonate resin, a polycarbonate-polyester blend resin, a polyester resin, a glycidyl ether epoxy, a diglycidyl ether epoxy, a tridiglycidyl ether epoxy, a diglycerol, mannitol, a silicone polymer resin, a melamine resin, a heterocyclic resin, a polyamide resin, and combinations thereof.

22. A composite material in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the structural resin is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic resin, an olefin resin, a cyclic olefin, a dicyclopentadienes, and combinations thereof.

23. A composite material in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the pyrolizable resin is pyrolized at a temperature greater than approximately 1800° F. to form the subsequent voids in the graphitic carbon laminate structure.

24. A heat dissipative composite article, comprising:

a) a pyrolized carbon fiber and in-situ graphitic-carbon laminate structure having a substantially continuous thermally conductive path along the laminate structure, the carbon fiber having a thermal conductivity of greater than approximately 20 W/mK;

b) a structural resin infused into the laminate structure and cured therein to provide strength to the laminate structure and forming a resin infused carbon-graphitic-carbon matrix, the structural resin having a resin toughness greater than approximately 60 J/m 2 ; and

c) the structural resin infused carbon-graphitic-carbon matrix providing a thermal conductivity of greater than approximately 10 W/mK through the composite article.

25. A composite material in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the pyrolizable resin is selected from the group consisting of a phenolic resin, a phenol formaldehyde resin, phenol-acetaldehyde, phenol-furfural, M-cresolformaldehyde, resorcinal-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, cyanate esther, and combinations thereof.

26. A composite material in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the pyrolizable resin is selected from the group consisting of a cyanate ester, a bisphenol cyanate ester, a novalac cyanate ester, and combinations thereof.

27. A composite material in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the structural resin is selected from the group consisting of a structural epoxy, an epoxy novalac, a polycarbonate resin, a polycarbonate-polyester blend resin, a polyester resin, a glycidyl ether epoxy, a diglycidyl ether epoxy, a tridiglycidyl ether epoxy, a diglycerol, mannitol, a silicone polymer resin, a melamine resin, a heterocyclic resin, a polyamide resin, and combinations thereof.

28. A composite material in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the structural resin is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic resin, an olefin resin, a cyclic olefin, a dicyclopentadienes, and combinations thereof.

29. A composite material in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the pyrolizable resin is pyrolized at a temperature greater than approximately 1800° F. to form the subsequent voids in the graphitic carbon laminate structure.

30. A composite material in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the article is an electronic device enclosure.

31. A composite material in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the structural resin is un-pyrolized.

32. A heat dissipative composite material, comprising:

a) a carbon fiber lay-up including a thermally conductive carbon fiber forming a substantially continuous thermally conductive path along the carbon fiber layup;

b) a pyrolizable resin impregnated into the thermally conductive carbon fiber and pyrolized therein to a graphitic carbon state to form a graphitic carbon laminate structure with the carbon fiber; and

c) an un-pyrolized, structural resin infused into subsequent voids in the graphitic carbon laminate structure formed by pyrolization of the pyrolizable resin, the structural resin being cured without pyrolization therein to provide strength to the graphitic carbon laminate structure.