Thermally-conductive electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorbers including aluminum powder

1. An electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorber comprising a base or matrix material and at least one filler in the base or matrix material, wherein the at least one filler comprises aluminum powder, and wherein the EMI absorber has at least one or more of:

a permittivity (Dk) of at least 10 at frequencies below about 20 gigahertz;

a loss tangent greater than about 0.15 at frequencies above 12 gigahertz;

a loss tangent of about 0.15 or less at a frequency of about 3 gigahertz; and

attenuation above 100 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.

2. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one filler further comprises silicon carbide, zinc oxide, carbonyl iron, cobalt, nickel, carbon, graphite, and/or aluminum oxide; and/or

the base or matrix material comprises a silicone resin and/or wax.

3. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the total filler loading in the base or matrix material is at least about 1 percent by weight to about 95 percent by weight including the aluminum powder sufficient to increase the EMI absorber's dielectric constant and attenuation per distance of travel at frequencies above 3 gigahertz relative to the same EMI absorber not containing aluminum powder.

4. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the EMI absorber has a thermal conductivity of at least about 3.0 Watts per meter per Kelvin.

5. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the EMI absorber has each of:

a permittivity (Dk) of at least 10 at frequencies below about 20 gigahertz;

a loss tangent greater than about 0.15 at frequencies above 12 gigahertz;

a loss tangent of about 0.15 or less at a frequency of about 3 gigahertz; and

attenuation above 100 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.

6. An electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorber comprising a base or matrix material and at least one filler in the base or matrix material, wherein the at least one filler comprises aluminum powder, and wherein at a frequency of about 18 gigahertz, the EMI absorber has:

a permittivity (Dk) of about 50;

a loss tangent greater than about 0.5; and

attenuation greater than about 100 decibels per centimeter.

7. An electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorber comprising a base or matrix material and at least one filler in the base or matrix material, wherein the at least one filler comprises aluminum powder, and wherein the EMI absorber has:

a thermal conductivity of at least about 3.0 Watts per meter per Kelvin;

a permittivity (Dk) of at least 10 at frequencies below about 20 gigahertz;

a loss tangent greater than about 0.15 at frequencies above 12 gigahertz; and

attenuation above 100 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.

8. The EMI absorber of claim 7 , wherein:

the base or matrix material comprises a silicone resin; and

the at least one filler comprises the aluminum powder blended with at least one other filler including silicon carbide in the silicone resin.

9. The EMI absorber of claim 8 , wherein:

the EMI absorber is a dispensable EMI absorber; and/or

a ratio of aluminum to silicon carbide in the silicone resin is about 1.1:1; and/or

a total filler loading of the aluminum powder and the silicon carbide in the silicone resin is at least about 90 percent by weight.

10. The EMI absorber of claim 7 , wherein:

the base or matrix material comprises a silicone resin; and

the at least one filler comprises the aluminum powder blended with at least one other filler including zinc oxide in the silicone resin.

11. The EMI absorber of claim 10 , wherein the EMI absorber is a phase change thermal interface material.

12. The EMI absorber of claim 7 , wherein the EMI absorber is a phase change thermal interface material having:

a thermal conductivity of at least about 3.0 Watts per meter per Kelvin;

a permittivity (Dk) of at least 10 at frequencies below about 20 gigahertz;

a loss tangent greater than about 0.15 at frequencies above 12 gigahertz;

attenuation greater than 100 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above; and

a phase change temperature within a range from about 40 degrees Celsius to about 70 degrees Celsius.

13. The EMI absorber of claim 7 , wherein the EMI absorber is a dispensable EMI absorber having:

a thermal conductivity of at least about 3.0 Watts per meter per Kelvin;

a permittivity (Dk) of at least 10 at frequencies below about 20 gigahertz;

a loss tangent greater than about 0.15 at frequencies above 12 gigahertz; and

attenuation greater than 100 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.

14. An electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorber comprising a base or matrix material and at least one filler in the base or matrix material, wherein the at least one filler comprises aluminum powder, and wherein:

the at least one filler further comprises aluminum oxide;

the base or matrix material comprises wax; and

the EMI absorber includes about 7 weight percent to 9 weight percent of the wax base/matrix material, about 4 weight percent to about 6 weight percent of the aluminum oxide, and about 85 weight percent to about 88 weight percent of the aluminum powder.

15. The EMI absorber of claim 14 , wherein the EMI absorber includes about 8 weight percent of the wax base/matrix material, about 5 weight percent of the aluminum oxide, and about 87 weight percent of the aluminum powder.

16. The EMI absorber of claim 15 , wherein the EMI absorber has:

a thermal conductivity of at least about 8.0 Watts per meter per Kelvin; and

attenuation greater than 100 dB/cm for frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.

17. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the EMI absorber is a dispensable EMI absorber, a phase change thermal interface material, and/or a pad.

18. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the EMI absorber is configured to be multifunctional having a first functionality of EMI mitigation and a second functionality of thermal management, or vice versa.

19. A method comprising mixing at least one filler into a base or matrix material, the at least one filler comprising aluminum powder, wherein the base or matrix material including the at least one filler is suitable for use as an EMI absorber having at least one or more of:

a permittivity (Dk) of at least 10 at frequencies below about 20 gigahertz;

a loss tangent greater than about 0.15 at frequencies above 12 gigahertz;

a loss tangent of about 0.15 or less at a frequency of about 3 gigahertz; and

attenuation above 100 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the at least one filler further comprises at least one other filler including silicon carbide, zinc oxide, carbonyl iron, cobalt, nickel, carbon, graphite, and/or aluminum oxide; and/or

the base or matrix material comprises a silicone resin and/or wax.

21. A method comprising mixing at least one filler into a base or matrix material, the at least one filler comprising aluminum powder, wherein the base or matrix material including the at least one filler is suitable for use as an EMI absorber, and wherein:

the at least one filler further comprises aluminum oxide;

the base or matrix material comprises wax; and

the method includes mixing the at least one filler into the base or matrix material such that there is about 7 weight percent to 9 weight percent of the wax base/matrix material, about 4 weight percent to about 6 weight percent of the aluminum oxide, and about 85 weight percent to about 88 weight percent of the aluminum powder.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein:

the method includes mixing the at least one filler into the base or matrix material such that there is about 8 weight percent of the wax base/matrix material, about 5 weight percent of the aluminum oxide, and about 87 weight percent of the aluminum powder; and

the base or matrix material including the at least one filler has a thermal conductivity of at least about 8.0 Watts per meter per Kelvin, and attenuation greater than 100 dB/cm for frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the method includes mixing the at least one filler into the base or matrix material such that the total filler loading in the base or matrix material is at least about 1 percent by weight to about 95 percent by weight including the aluminum powder sufficient to increase the EMI absorber's dielectric constant and attenuation per distance of travel at frequencies above 3 gigahertz.

24. A method comprising mixing at least one filler into a base or matrix material, the at least one filler comprising aluminum powder, such that the base or matrix material including the at least one filler therein has:

a thermal conductivity of at least about 3.0 Watts per meter per Kelvin;

a permittivity (Dk) of at least 10 at frequencies below about 20 gigahertz;

a loss tangent greater than about 0.15 at frequencies above 12 gigahertz; and

attenuation above 100 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.