Graphene-based thermal management cores and systems and methods for constructing printed wiring boards

• US 9,332,632 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stablcor Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stablcor Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Schneider, Douglas, Davis, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roman, Angel
• Application Number:
  US14/464,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/20 comprising aluminium or copper B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/021 Fibrous or filamentary layer layers of natural mineral fibres or particles being impregnated in a plastic substance B32B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/025 Particulate layer layers of natural mineral fibres or particles being impregnated in a plastic substance B32B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/046 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2264/108 Carbon, e.g. graphite particles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/202 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/302 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/08 PCBs, i.e. printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/14 next to a particulate layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/281 comprising polyimides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/38 comprising epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/42 comprising condensation resins of aldehydes, e.g. with phenols, ureas or melamines
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/08 characterised by added members at particular parts layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B3/14, B32B3/18
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/16 characterised by features of a layer formed of particles, e.g. chips, powder or granules layer formed of natural mineral particles B32B19/00; layer being formed of wood fibres, chips or particles B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/30 : one layer being formed of particles, e.g. chips, granules, powder
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/007 : comprising carbon, e.g. graphite, composite carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/045 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 : the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0207 : using internal conductor planes parallel to the surface for thermal conduction, e.g. power planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0195 : Dielectric or adhesive layers comprising a plurality of layers, e.g. in a multilayer structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0245 : Flakes, flat particles or lamellar particles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0323 : Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4608 : comprising an electrically conductive base or core

Abstract

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement graphene-based thermal management cores and printed wiring boards incorporating graphene-based thermal management cores. In one embodiment, a graphene-based thermal management core includes: a layer including at least one sheet of graphene; a first reinforcement layer; and a second reinforcement layer; where the layer including at least one sheet of graphene is disposed between the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer.

Claims

1. A graphene-based thermal management core comprising:

a layer including at least one sheet of graphene;

a first reinforcement layer; and

a second reinforcement layer;

wherein the layer including at least one sheet of graphene is disposed between the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer; and

wherein at least either the first reinforcement layer or the second reinforcement layer comprises a substrate impregnated with a non-dielectric resin.

2. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 1, wherein the at least one sheet of graphene is implemented via at least one graphene nanoplatelet.

3. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 2, wherein the layer including at least one sheet of graphene includes a plurality of graphene nanoplatelets.

4. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 3, wherein at least two of the plurality of graphene nanoplatelets have a thickness of between approximately 1 nm and approximately 20 nm.

5. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 4, wherein at least two of the plurality of graphene nanoplatelets have a width between approximately 1 micron and approximately 50 microns.

6. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 3, wherein at least two of the plurality of graphene nanoplatelets are characterized by a thermal conductivity of between approximately 500 W/mK and approximately 2,500 W/mK.

7. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 1, wherein at least either the first reinforcement layer or second reinforcement layer comprises a resin that is one of:

a phenolic based resin, a Bismaleimide Triazine (BT) epoxy based resin, a Cyanate Ester based resin, and a polyimide based resin.

8. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises carbon.

9. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 8, wherein the substrate comprises one of:

carbon fibers, carbon plates, carbon flakes, and mixtures thereof.

10. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 9, wherein the substrate comprises carbon fibers that comprise graphite.

11. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 10, wherein the carbon fibers are unidirectional.

12. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 10, wherein the carbon fibers are woven.

13. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 1, further comprising:

a first electrically conductive layer bound to the first reinforcement layer; and

a second electrically conductive layer bound to the second reinforcement layer.

14. The graphene-based thermal management core of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first electrically conductive layer and second electrically conductive layer comprises copper.

15. A printed wiring board comprising:

a graphene-based thermal management core that itself comprises;

a layer including at least one sheet of graphene;

a first reinforcement layer; and

a second reinforcement layer;

wherein the layer including at least one sheet of graphene is disposed between the first reinforcement layer and the second reinforcement layer; and

wherein at least either the first reinforcement layer or the second reinforcement layer comprises a substrate impregnated with a non-dielectric resin;

at least one dielectric layer; and

at least one electrically conductive layer that includes a circuit trace;

wherein at least one dielectric layer is disposed between the graphene-based thermal management core and at least one electrically conductive layer.

16. The printed wiring board of claim 15, wherein the graphene-based thermal management core is electrically isolated from any circuit traces.

17. The printed wiring board of claim 15, wherein the graphene-based thermal management core is electrically connected to at least one circuit trace.

18. The printed wiring board of claim 15, wherein the graphene-based thermal management core is electrically connected to the circuit trace by a via.

19. The printed wiring board of claim 17, wherein the graphene-based thermal management core is configured to act as one of:

a ground plane;

a power plane; and

a split power and ground plane.

20. The printed wiring board of claim 19, wherein the layer including at least one sheet of graphene comprises at least one graphene nanoplatelet.

21. The printed wiring board of claim 20, wherein the substrate comprises carbon.