Science News

Electronics Cooling: Adhesive Graphene Film Proves Efficient

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed a graphene-based film which has proven to be not only effective, but efficient when it comes to cooling electronic systems.

The researchers, who published their findings in the journal Advanced Materials, found the film’s cooling effect to be minimal, but by stacking the material in layers, they found that they were able to amplify the effect. However, in doing so, a new problem became apparent: adding additional layers diminished the material’s adhesiveness.

Fortunately, the researchers have, or so they’ve claimed in a press release, managed to resolve the adhesive concern by creating what researcher Johan Liu referred to as a “strong covalent bond between the graphene film and the surface” of the silicon component.

We have now solved this problem by managing to create strong covalent bonds between the graphene film and the surface, which is an electronic component made of silicon

The increased strength of bond comes as a result of the graphene’s functionalization which allows for the addition of property-altering molecules, as the researchers found that the addition of triethoxysilane molecules to create silane bonds between the graphene and electronic component once heated and placed through hydrolysis.

The resulting film has a thermal conductivity capacity which is four times that of copper and has the ability to attach to electronic components made of silicon, The Engineer reported.

According to Liu, increased thermal capacity has the ability to “lead to several new applications for graphene” including “the integration of graphene-based film into microelectronic devices and systems, such as highly efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), lasers and radio frequency components cor cooling purposes.”

Increased thermal capacity could lead to several new applications for graphene (…) One example is the integration of graphene-based film into microelectronic devices and systems, such as highly efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), lasers and radio frequency components for cooling purposes. Graphene-based film could also pave the way for faster, smaller, more energy efficient, sustainable high power electronics.

In other news, engineers at the University of California at Berkeley have developed a color-changing film reminiscent of a the active camouflage chameleon’s boast.

Click to comment
To Top

Hi - Get Important Content Like This Delivered Directly To You

Get important content and more delivered to you once or twice a week.

We don't want an impostor using your email address so please look for an email from us and click the link to confirm your email address.