Simple Fabrication and Characterization of Discontinuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composite for Lightweight Heat Sink Applications

doi:10.1007/s40195-014-0106-7

Abstract

Abstract:

The constant increase in power and heat flux densities encountered in electronic devices fuels a rising demand for lightweight heat sink materials with suitable thermal properties. In this study, discontinuous pitch-based carbon fiber reinforced aluminum matrix (Al-CF) composites with aluminum–silicon alloy (Al–Si) were fabricated through hot pressing. The small amount of Al–Si contributed to enhance the sintering process in order to achieve fully dense Al–CF composites. A thermal conductivity and CTE of 258 W/(m K) and 7.0 × 10^-6/K in the in-plane direction of the carbon fibers were obtained for a (Al_{95 vol%} + Al–Si_{5 vol%})-CF_{50 vol%} composite. Carbon fiber provides the reducing of CTE while the conservation of thermal conductivity and weight of Al. The achieved CTEs satisfy the standard requirements for a heat sink material, which furthermore possess a specific thermal conductivity of 109 W cm³/(m K g). This simple process allows the low-cost fabrication of Al–CF composite, which is applicable for a lightweight heat sink material.

Key words: Carbon fiber, Metal-matrix composites (MMCs), Thermal properties, Powder processing

Hiroki Kurita, Emilien Feuillet, Thomas Guillemet, Jean-Marc Heintz, Akira Kawasaki, Jean-François Silvain. Simple Fabrication and Characterization of Discontinuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composite for Lightweight Heat Sink Applications[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2014, 27(4): 714-722.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1 Relative density of (Al95 vol% + Al–Si5 vol%)– and Al–CF composites

Fig. 2 SEM micrographs of (Al95 vol% + Al–Si5 vol%)–CF50 vol% composite in the in-plane a and transverse directions b of the carbon fiber, c (Al95 vol% + Al–Si5 vol%)–CF20 vol% composite in the in-plane direction of the carbon fiber, d Al–CF50 vol% composite in the in-plane direction of carbon fiber

Fig. 3 Results of microanalysis: a EPMA mapping, b EDX spot scan in (Al95 vol% + Al–Si5 vol%)–CF50 vol% composite

Fig. 4 Thermal conductivities of Al + Al–Si composites without the carbon fibers

Fig. 5 Thermal conductivities of (Al95 vol% + Al–Si5 vol%)– and Al–CF composites in the transverse direction a and in-plane direction b of the carbon fibers

Fig. 6 CTEs of (Al95 vol% + Al-Si5 vol%)– and Al–CF composites in the in-plane direction of the carbon fibers

Fig. 7 TEM micrographs of (Al95 vol% + Al–Si5 vol%)–CF50 vol% composite: a Al/CF interface, b tip of the carbon fiber

Fig. 8 FEM calculation images: a calculation criteria, b the displacement after calculation of (Al95 vol% + Al–Si5 vol%)–CF10 vol% composite without the tangles of carbon fibers, c calculation criteria, d displacement after calculation of (Al95 vol% + Al–Si5 vol%)–CF50 vol% composite with tangles of carbon fibers

Fig. 9 Specific thermal conductivities versus CTE of several materials selected as heat sink materials

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