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

2. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the EMI absorber further includes at least one other filler in the base or matrix material including one or more of silicon carbide, zinc oxide, carbonyl iron, cobalt, nickel, carbon, graphite, and/or aluminum oxide.

3. 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 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, and wherein the EMI absorber has attenuation greater than 100 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.

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 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; and/or

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

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

attenuation of 140 decibels per centimeter or higher at frequencies of 60 gigahertz and above; and/or

attenuation of 160 decibels per centimeter or higher at frequencies of 90 gigahertz and above.

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

attenuation greater than 110 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 60 gigahertz and above; and/or

attenuation greater than 150 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 90 gigahertz and above.

8. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , 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 1 , 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; and

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

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

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

13. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the EMI absorber is a dispensable EMI absorber.

14. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the EMI absorber includes at least about 85 weight percent of the aluminum powder.

15. The EMI absorber of claim 14 , wherein the EMI absorber includes about 85 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of the aluminum powder.

16. The EMI absorber of claim 15 , wherein the EMI absorber includes about 87 weight percent of the aluminum powder.

17. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the EMI absorber has

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

18. The EMI absorber of claim 15 , wherein the EMI absorber includes about 95 weight percent of the aluminum powder.

19. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein:

the EMI absorber includes about 10 weight percent of the aluminum powder; and

the EMI absorber further includes at least one other filler in the base or matrix material including one or more of silicon carbide, zinc oxide, carbonyl iron, cobalt, nickel, carbon, graphite, and/or aluminum oxide.

20. The EMI absorber of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum powder enhances permittivity, loss tangent, and/or attenuation performance of the EMI absorber relative to the same EMI absorber not containing aluminum powder.

21. 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.

22. A method comprising mixing at least one filler comprising aluminum powder into a base or matrix material wherein the base or matrix material including the at least one filler has attenuation greater than 100 decibels per centimeter at frequencies of 18 gigahertz and above.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the method includes mixing at least one other filler into the base or matrix material including one or more of silicon carbide, zinc oxide, carbonyl iron, cobalt, nickel, carbon, graphite, and/or aluminum oxide.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the method includes mixing the at least one filler into the base or matrix material such that there is at least about 85 weight percent of the aluminum powder.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the method includes mixing the at least one filler into the base or matrix material such that there is about 85 weight percent to about 95 weight percent of the aluminum powder.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the method includes increasing dielectric constant of the EMI absorber by using the aluminum powder to thereby provide the EMI absorber with an increased dielectric constant and absorbing property (ies) relative to the same EMI absorber not containing aluminum powder.

27. The method of claim 22 , wherein 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.

28. The method of claim 22 , 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 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.

29. The method of claim 22 , wherein the method includes mixing the at least one filler into the base or matrix material such that the base or matrix material including the at least one filler therein has at least one or more of:

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; and/or

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