Thermally conductive polymer molded article and method for producing the same

• US 7,189,778 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Inventors: Kimura, Toru, Tobita, Masayuki, Shimoyama, Naoyuki, Ishigaki, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, SHEAN CHIU
• Application Number:
  US10/623,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20040152829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 428/1.1, 428/32.63, 428/35.7, 428/297.4, 428/299.1, 252/299.01, 252/299.5, 257/E23.107, 524/495
• US Class Current: 524/495
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/00 Shaping by stretching, e.g. drawing through a die; Apparatus therefor B29C61/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/62 the filler being oriented during moulding for short fibres B29C70/14
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/88 characterised primarily by possessing specific properties, e.g. electrically conductive or locally reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/18 oriented
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0013 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/3809 Polyesters; Polyester derivatives, e.g. polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2019/521 Inorganic solid particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24994 Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a polymeric matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249945 Carbon or carbonaceous fiber

Abstract

A thermally conductive polymer molded article formed by molding a thermally conductive composition which comprises a liquid crystalline polymer and thermally conductive filler having magnetic anisotropy, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer and the thermally conductive filler are oriented in a predetermined direction by a magnetic field. The thermally conductive composition contains 100 parts by weight of the liquid crystalline polymer and 5 to 800 parts by weight of the thermally conductive filler having magnetic anisotropy. The thermally conductive filler has a thermal conductivity in at least one direction higher than the thermal conductivity of the liquid crystalline polymer.

Claims

1. A thermally conductive polymer molded article formed by molding a thermally conductive composition, the thermally conductive composition comprising:

100 parts by weight a liquid crystalline polymer having a first thermal conductivity; and

5 to 800 parts by weight a thermally conductive filler having a second thermal conductivity in at least one direction, which has magnetic anisotropy,

wherein the liquid crystalline polymer and the thermally conductive filler are oriented in the molded article by a magnetic field.

2. The thermally conductive polymer molded article according to claim 1, wherein the second thermal conductivity is higher than the first thermal conductivity.

3. The thermally conductive polymer molded article according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer includes a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer.

4. The thermally conductive polymer molded article according to claim 3, wherein the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer comprises at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a thermotropic liquid crystalline wholly aromatic polyester and a thermotropic liquid crystalline wholly aromatic polyester amide.

5. The thermally conductive polymer molded article according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer includes a lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer.

6. The thermally conductive polymer molded article according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises at least one filler selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, graphite, boron nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, and aluminum oxide.

7. The thermally conductive polymer molded article according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive filler comprises at least one of selected from carbon fiber and graphite, wherein each of the carbon fiber and the graphite has a thermal conductivity of 200 to 2000 W/(m K) in at least one direction.

8. The thermally conductive polymer molded article according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive filler has electrical insulation properties.

9. The thermally conductive polymer molded article according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive polymer molded article is molded into a sheet, and wherein the liquid crystalline polymer and the thermally conductive filler are oriented in the thickness direction of the sheet by a magnetic field.

10. The thermally conductive polymer molded article according to claim 1, which is molded into a sheet form, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer and the thermally conductive filler are oriented in the direction parallel to the surface of the sheet by a magnetic field.

11. A method for producing a thermally conductive polymer molded article formed of a thermally conductive composition, the thermally conductive composition comprising 100 parts by weight a liquid crystalline polymer and 5 to 800 parts by weight a thermally conductive filler having magnetic anisotropy, the method comprising steps of:

providing the thermally conductive composition into a mold;

allowing the liquid crystalline polymer in the thermally conductive composition in the mold to undergo phase transition to a liquid crystalline state;

placing the thermally conductive composition in the mold in a magnetic field, thereby orienting the liquid crystalline polymer and the thermally conductive filler contained in the thermally conductive composition in a predetermined direction;

allowing the liquid crystalline polymer in a liquid crystalline state to undergo phase transition to a solid state;

solidifying the thermally conductive composition; and

removing the solidified composition from the mold.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of allowing the liquid crystalline polymer to undergo phase transition to the liquid crystalline state is achieved by heating, and the step of allowing the liquid crystalline polymer to undergo phase transition to the solid state and the step of solidifying the thermally conductive composition are both achieved by cooling.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the thermally conductive composition further contains a solvent, and wherein the step of allowing the liquid crystalline polymer to undergo phase transition to the liquid crystalline state is achieved by dissolving the liquid crystalline polymer into a solvent, and the step of allowing the liquid crystalline polymer to undergo phase transition to a solid state is achieved by removing the solvent.

14. An apparatus for producing a thermally conductive polymer molded article formed of a thermally conductive composition, the thermally conductive composition comprising 100 parts by weight a liquid crystalline polymer and 5 to 800 parts by weight a thermally conductive filler having magnetic anisotropy, wherein the liquid crystalline polymer and the thermally conductive filler are oriented in a predetermined direction, the apparatus comprising:

a mold having a cavity for containing the thermally conductive composition therein to mold the thermally conductive composition into a predetermined shape; and

a magnetic field generating device, located so that magnetic lines of force generated by the magnetic field generating device pass the cavity of the mold.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the magnetic field generating device comprises a pair of permanent magnets respectively having opposite poles wherein the pair of permanent magnets are disposed interposing the cavity there between.