High thermal conductivity materials with grafted surface functional groups

• US 8,039,530 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Smith, James David Blackhall
• Primary Examiner(s): Feely; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US12/860,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20100311936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 523/400, 523/442, 523/443, 523/457, 523/458, 523/429, 428/413, 428/414, 428/415, 428/416, 428/417, 428/418, 524/492, 524/495, 524/700, 524/701, 524/714, 524/730
• US Class Current: 523/440
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 59/30 containing atoms other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 59/4007 Curing agents not provided for by the groups C08G59/42 - C08G59/66
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/388 Polyepoxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 3/40 epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/323 Insulation between winding turns, between winding layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/327 Encapsulating or impregnating encapsulating coil and core H01F27/022
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2991 Coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31511 Of epoxy ether

Abstract

The present invention provides a continuous high thermal conductivity organic-inorganic composite material. The composite material features high thermal conductivity materials bonded to a host resin matrix by covalent linkages. The bonding takes place through surface functional groups that are reactively grafted to the high thermal conductivity material. These surface functional groups react with the host resin matrix, forming the covalent linkages. The structure of the composite material is effective to reduce phonon scattering and increase phonon transport in the composite material.

Claims

1. A continuous high thermal conductivity resin comprising:

a host resin matrix; and

high thermal conductivity materials;

wherein said high thermal conductivity materials form a continuous organic-inorganic composite with said host resin matrix via surface functional groups that are reactively grafted to said high thermal conductivity materials and form covalent linkages with said host resin matrix;

wherein said surface functional groups comprise 4-trimethoxysilyl tetra-hydrophthalic anhydride (TSPA); and

wherein said continuous organic-inorganic composite is effective to reduce phonon scattering and increase phonon transport in said continuous high thermal conductivity resin.

2. The continuous high thermal conductivity resin of claim 1, wherein said continuous high thermal conductivity resin has a viscosity that renders said continuous high thermal conductivity resin suitable for impregnation by vacuum-pressure impregnation (VPI) or global vacuum-pressure impregnation (GVPI).

3. The continuous high thermal conductivity resin of claim 1, wherein said high thermal conductivity materials comprise nanofillers.

4. The continuous high thermal conductivity resin of claim 1, wherein said host resin matrix comprises a liquid crystal thermoset (LCT) resin.

5. The continuous high thermal conductivity resin of claim 4, wherein said LCT resin further comprises epoxy, vinyl or anhydride functional groups to form at least one of an LCT-epoxy anhydride resin, an LCT-epoxy vinyl resin, or an LCT-epoxy anhydride-vinyl resin.

6. A continuous high thermal conductivity resin comprising:

a host resin matrix; and

a plurality of high thermal conductivity oligomers comprising a plurality of high thermal conductivity fillers having organic surface functional groups reactively grafted thereto;

wherein said plurality of high thermal conductivity oligomers form a continuous organic-inorganic composite with said host resin matrix via said organic surface functional groups of said plurality of high thermal conductivity oligomers; and

wherein said organic surface functional groups comprise 4-trimethoxysilyl tetra-hydrophthalic anhydride (TSPA).

7. The continuous high thermal conductivity resin of claim 6, wherein said host resin matrix comprises a liquid crystal thermoset (LCT) resin.

8. The continuous high thermal conductivity resin of claim 7, wherein said LCT resin further comprises epoxy, vinyl or anhydride functional groups to form at least one of an LCT-epoxy anhydride polymer, an LCT-epoxy vinyl polymer or an LCT-epoxy anhydride-vinyl polymer.