Thinwall composites for electronic enclosures and other devices

1. A housing for an electronic device comprising:

a solid core layer comprising a first thermoplastic material;

a first skin layer comprising a second thermoplastic material located on a first side of the core layer;

a second skin layer comprising the second thermoplastic material located on a second side of the core layer opposite the first side;

wherein the core layer has a through plane thermal conductivity of greater than equal to 0.1 W/mK;

wherein the thickness of the core layer is 30% to 75% of the total thickness of the housing, and wherein at least one of the following

the core layer comprises 0 vol % to 35 vol % of a reinforcing material and 100 vol % to 65 vol % of the first thermoplastic material, based upon the total volume of the core layer; and

the first skin layer has a different viscosity, different molecular weight, different reinforcement loading, or combinations thereof, as compared to the second skin layer.

2. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the total thickness of the housing is 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

3. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the core layer is 55% to 70% of the total thickness of the housing.

4. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the first thermoplastic material comprises polycarbonate.

5. The housing of claim 1 , wherein first thermoplastic material comprises 20% to 50% by weight glass fiber or wherein first thermoplastic material comprises 10% to 30% by weight short carbon filler.

6. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the second thermoplastic material comprises inorganic fabric reinforced thermoplastic material.

7. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the second thermoplastic material comprises inorganic fabric reinforced polypropylene, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetherimide, polyetheretherketone, and the like.

8. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the core layer differs from the coefficient of expansion of the frame by less than 20%.

9. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the core layer comprises a thermal conductivity of greater than or equal to 1 W/mK.

10. The housing of claim 1 , further comprising a frame connected to at least a portion of the core layer.

11. The housing of claim 10 , wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the core layer differs from the coefficient of expansion of the frame by less than 10%.

12. A housing for an electronic device comprising:

a solid core layer comprising a first thermoplastic material;

a first skin layer comprising a second thermoplastic material located on a first side of the core layer;

a second skin layer comprising the second thermoplastic material located on a second side of the core layer opposite the first side;

wherein the core layer has a density that is less than or equal to the second thermoplastic material and greater than or equal to the density of the first thermoplastic material;

wherein the thickness of the core layer is 30% to 75% of the total thickness of the housing, and wherein at least one of the following

the core layer comprises 0 vol % to 35 vol % of a reinforcing material and 100 vol % to 65 vol % of the first thermoplastic material, based upon the total volume of the core layer; and

the first skin layer has a different viscosity, different molecular weight, different reinforcement loading, or combinations thereof, as compared to the second skin layer.

13. A method for making an electronic device housing comprising:

locating a first skin layer on a first side of an injection mold;

locating a second skin layer on a second side of an injection mold;

closing the mold;

injecting a first thermoplastic material between the first skin layer and the second skin layer to form a core layer;

opening the mold and removing a housing comprising the first skin layer, core layer, and second skin layer;

wherein the core layer has a through plane thermal conductivity of greater than equal to 0.1 W/mK;

wherein the thickness of the core layer is 30% to 75% of the total thickness of the housing, and wherein at least one of the following

the core layer comprises 0 vol % to 35 vol % of a reinforcing material and 100 vol % to 65 vol % of the first thermoplastic material, based upon the total volume of the core layer; and

the first skin layer has a different viscosity, different molecular weight, different reinforcement loading, or combinations thereof, as compared to the second skin layer.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the core further comprises a frame extending beyond the first skin layer and second skin layer, wherein the frame comprises the first thermoplastic material.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein first skin layer and the second skin layer comprise a second thermoplastic material.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the total thickness of the housing is 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

17. The method of claim 13 , comprising:

locating the housing in an injection mold;

wherein the core layer has a through plane thermal conductivity of greater than equal to 0.1 W/mK;

wherein the thickness of the core layer is 30% to 75% of the total thickness of the housing;

closing the mold;

injecting a thermoplastic material around the housing to form a frame attached to the housing;

opening the mold and removing the framed housing.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the total thickness of the housing is 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the thickness of the core layer is 55% to 70% of the total thickness of the housing.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first thermoplastic material comprises polycarbonate; and wherein first thermoplastic material comprises 20% to 50% by weight glass fiber and/or 10% to 30% by weight short carbon filler.