Design, Synthesis, and Performance of a Carbon Nanotube/Metal Foil Thermal Interface Material

The thermal performance of an interface material comprised of a metal foil with dense, vertically oriented carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays synthesized on both of its surfaces is characterized for rough and smooth interfaces. The CNT/foil deforms in the interfaces by two mechanisms, CNT deformation and foil deformation, that may significantly increase the number of CNT contact spots on both sides of the foil. As a result, the thermal conduction at the CNT-array-free-tip interfaces is greatly increased from previous measurements.