Thermal interface material and method of making and using the same
View Patent ↗A thermal interface material comprises a polymeric elastomer material, a thermally conductive filler, and a coupling agent, along with other optional components. In one exemplary heat transfer material, a coupling agent having the formula: where Y is either a cyclic structure or Y is represented by Formula II: where: a=1 or 2 b=2 or 3 R 1 contains at least one of a neoalkoxy group, an ether group, or a C2-C30 straight or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, aryl, or alkaryl group R′ 2 and R″ 2 are independently selected from Hydrogen, a neoalkoxy group, an ether group, and a C2-C30 straight or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, aryl, or alkaryl group X=Group four transition metal; and where a=1, R 3 contains at least one of a neoalkoxy group, an ether group, or a C2-C30 straight or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, aryl, or alkaryl group; or where a=2, the two R 3 groups independently contain at least one of a neoalkoxy group, an ether group, or a C2-C30 straight or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, aryl, or alkaryl groups or the two R 3 groups together form an alkyldiolato group and, if Y is a cyclic structure, X is a member of the cyclic structure and the cyclic structure also contains a pyrophosphate group such as Formula II shown above.
1. A heat transfer material comprising:
about 3 wt. % to about 14 wt. % of a polymeric elastomer material;
a wax, wherein the wax comprises less than about 10 wt. % of the heat transfer material;
about 80 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of a thermally conductive filler; and
about 0.3 wt. % to about 2 wt. % of a coupling agent selected from the group consisting of: titanium IV 2,2 (bis 2-propenolatomethyl)butanolato, tris(dioctyl)pyrophosphato-O; zirconium IV 2,2 (bis 2-propenolatomethyl)butanolato, tris(diisooctyl)pyrophosphato-O; titanium IV bis(dioctyl)pyrophosphato-O, oxoethylenediolato, adduct, bis(dioctyl) (hydrogen)phosphite-O; and zirconium IV 2,2-bis(2-propenolatomethyl)butanolato, cyclo di[2,2-(bis 2-propenolatomethyl)butanolato], pyrophosphato-O,O.
2. The material of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric elastomer material comprises hydrogenated polybutadiene.
3. The material of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises particles of a metal selected from the group consisting of: silver, aluminum, copper and alloys thereof.
4. The material of claim 3 , wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises particles of aluminum.
5. The material of claim 1 , wherein the coupling agent is titanium IV 2,2 (bis 2-propenolatomethyl)butanolato, tris(dioctyl)pyrophosphato-O.
6. The material of claim 5 , wherein the material comprises from about 0.5 wt. % to about 1 wt. % of the coupling agent.
7. The material of claim 5 , wherein the material comprises from about 0.5 wt. % to about 0.7 wt. % of the coupling agent.
8. The material of claim 5 , wherein the material comprises:
from about 5 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of the polymeric elastomer material;
from about 1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of the wax;
from about 85 wt. % to about 92 wt. % of the thermally conductive filler; and
from about 0.5 wt. % to about 1 wt. % of the coupling agent.
9. The material of claim 5 , wherein the polymer elastomer material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: an ethylene-propylene rubber, a polyethylene/butylene, a polyethylene-butylene-styrene, a polyethylene-propylene-styrene, a hydrogenated polyalkyldiene mono-ol, a hydrogenated polyalkyldiene diol, a hydrogenated polyisoprene, polyolefin elastomer, and blends thereof.
10. The material of claim 5 , wherein the polymer elastomer material comprises a hydrogenated polybutadiene mono-ol.
11. The material of claim 5 , further comprising an amine resin that is crosslinkable with the polymeric elastomer material.
12. The material of claim 1 , wherein the coupling agent is zirconium IV 2,2 (bis 2-propenolatomethyl)butanolato, tris(diisooctyl)pyrophosphato-O.
13. The material of claim 1 , wherein the coupling agent is titanium IV bis(dioctyl)pyrophosphato-O, oxoethylenediolato, adduct, bis(dioctyl) (hydrogen)phosphite-O.
14. The material of claim 1 , wherein the coupling agent is zirconium IV 2,2-bis(2-propenolatomethyl)butanolato, cyclo di[2,2-(bis 2-propenolatomethyl)butanolato], pyrophosphato-O,O.
15. The material of claim 1 , further comprising a phenolic antioxidant.
16. The material of claim 1 , wherein the wax comprises a polymer wax selected from polyethylene waxes, polypropylene waxes, and copolymers thereof.
17. The material of claim 16 , wherein the wax comprises a polyethylene homopolymer.
18. The material of claim 1 , further comprising an amine resin that is crosslinkable with the polymeric elastomer material.
19. The material of claim 18 , wherein the amine resin and the polymeric elastomer material are crosslinked at 10% of sites available for crosslinking to produce a liquid-like soft gel.
20. The material of claim 18 , wherein the amine resin and the polymeric elastomer material are crosslinked at 40-60% of sites available for crosslinking to produce a solid-like soft gel.
21. The material of claim 18 , wherein the material comprises:
from about 5 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of the polymeric elastomer material;
from about 1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of the wax;
from about 85 wt. % to about 92 wt. % of the thermally conductive filler;
from about 0.5 wt. % to about 1 wt. % of the coupling agent;
from about 0.07 wt. % to about 1.1 wt. % of a phenolic antioxidant; and
less than about 1 wt. % of the amine resin.
22. The material of claim 18 , wherein the amine resin is an alkylated melamine.
23. The material of claim 1 , wherein the polymer elastomer material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: an ethylene-propylene rubber, a polyethylene/butylene, a polyethylene-butylene-styrene, a polyethylene-propylene-styrene, a hydrogenated polyalkyldiene mono-ol, a hydrogenated polyalkyldiene diol, a hydrogenated polyisoprene, polyolefin elastomer, and blends thereof.
24. The material of claim 1 , wherein the polymer elastomer material comprises a hydrogenated polybutadiene mono-ol.