Characterization of transferred vertically aligned carbon nanotubes arrays as thermal interface materials

In this study, a solder-carbon nanotube composite thermal interface material (TIM) was fabricated using vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs). The constructed TIM consisted of vertically-aligned carbon nanotube arrays, which were grown on silicon by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process and then transferred from the growth substrate and soldered to copper disks on both sides via a bismuth/tin/silver solder. The thermal performance potential of the produced sample as a TIM was measured using ASTM D5470 standard methodology. The interfacial thermal resistance of the transferred CNT-solder composite was examined and reported for pressures of 20 psi and 50 psi. The average thermal resistance value recorded for the constructed sample was 0.458 cm2-K/W at a pressure of 20 psi and 0.425 cm2-K/W at a pressure of 50 psi.