Seeding of HTC fillers to form dendritic structures

• US 7,592,045 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Wood, John W., Stevens, Gary, Smith, James D. B.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMERON, ERMA C
• Application Number:
  US11/397,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20060280873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 427/385.5
• US Class Current: 427/385.5
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/00 Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 9/00 Use of pretreated ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2871 Pancake coils
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/127 Encapsulating or impregnating encapsulating coil and core H01F41/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02107 Forming insulating materials on a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/316 composed of oxides or glassy oxides or oxide based glass
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/40 for high voltage, e.g. affording protection against corona discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/223 Heat bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0373 containing additives, e.g. fillers H05K1/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0209 Inorganic, non-metallic particles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0248 Needles or elongated particles; Elongated cluster of chemically bonded particles microfibers H05K2201/0251; stacked conductors H05K2201/0379

Abstract

In one embodiment the present invention provides for a method of forming HTC dendritic fillers 40 within a host resin matrix that comprises adding HTC seeds 42 to the host resin matrix. The HTC seeds have been surface functionalized to not substantially react with one another. The seeds then accumulate HTC building blocks 42, and the HTC building blocks have also been surface functionalized to not substantially react with one another. Then assembling the HTC building blocks with the HTC seeds to produce HTC dendritic fillers 40 within the host resin matrix.

Claims

1. A method of forming high thermal conductivity (HTC) dendritic fillers within a host resin matrix comprising:

adding HTC seeds to said host resin matrix, wherein said HTC seeds comprise first fillers that have been surface functionalized with at least one first functional group, and wherein the HTC seeds do not substantially react with one another;

accumulating HTC building blocks, wherein said HTC building blocks comprise second fillers that have been surface functionalized with at least one second functional group different from the at least one first functional group, and wherein said HTC building blocks do not substantially react with one another; and

assembling said HTC building blocks with said HTC seeds to produce HTC dendritic fillers having a plurality of branched chains within said host resin matrix;

wherein the at least one first functional group and the at least one second functional group are effective to separate said HTC seeds and said HTC building blocks within the host resin matrix.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said HTC building blocks react with said HTC seeds.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said HTC building blocks interact with said HTC seeds.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said HTC building blocks are accumulated by impregnating said host resin with said added HTC seeds into a porous media, and wherein said porous media contains said HTC building blocks.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said porous media is a composite tape.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said porous media is at least one of a fabric, a natural organic fiber matrix, and an inorganic polymer fiber matrix.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said HTC building blocks are accumulated by mixing said HTC building blocks into said host resin matrix.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said assembling comprises reacting said HTC building blocks with said HTC seeds as a chemical reaction.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said assembling comprises reacting said HTC building blocks with said HTC seeds after adding an accelerant.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said HTC seeds have been surface functionalized to have an average of more than one surface functional group.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said HTC building blocks have been surface functionalized to have an average of more than one surface functional group.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said HTC seeds are selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, boron nitride, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum nitride, and silicon nitride.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said HTC building blocks are selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, aluminum oxide, and silicon oxide.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a percentage of said HTC seeds are grafted to said host resin matrix.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said HTC seeds are grafted to said host resin matrix prior to the accumulation of said HTC building blocks.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said HTC dendritic fillers comprise 5-40% by volume of said host resin matrix.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio of HTC seeds to HTC building blocks comprising said HTC dendritic fillers is approximately 2:

1 to 1;

4 by volume.

18. A method of forming high thermal conductivity (HTC) dendritic structures within a resin impregnated porous media comprising:

obtaining a host resin;

adding HTC seeds to said host resin, wherein said HTC seeds comprise first fillers that have been surface functionalized with at least one first functional group, wherein said HTC seeds do not substantially react with one another, and wherein a percentage of said HTC seeds are grafted to said host resin;

inserting HTC building blocks to a porous media, wherein said HTC building blocks comprise second fillers that have been surface functionalized with at least one second functional group different from the at least one first functional group, and wherein said HTC building blocks do not substantially react with one another;

impregnating said host resin into said porous media, wherein said host resin accumulates HTC building blocks from said porous media;

reacting and interacting said HTC building blocks with said HTC seeds to produce HTC dendritic fillers within said host resin matrix; and

curing said host resin.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein substantially all of said HTC seeds are reacted with said HTC building blocks.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising mixing additional HTC building blocks directly into said host resin.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein substantially all of said HTC seeds are grafted to said host resin.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said porous media is a composite tape.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said porous media is at least one of a fabric, a natural organic fiber matrix, and an inorganic polymer fiber matrix.