Firm Claims Organic-inorganic Composite Material With High Thermal Conductivity

Oct 28, 2009 10:07 Hiroshi Idegawa, Nikkei Monozukuri

Denki Kagaku Kogyo KK developed an insulating organic-inorganic composite material that features the world's highest level of thermal conductivity.

It has a thermal conductivity of about 36.2W/mK, which is higher than that of alumina substrate (30W/mK). The company achieved the high thermal conductivity and insulating properties at the same time by combining a technology to orient fillers in epoxy resin and a filling technology.

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is used for the fillers. Because the new material has low dielectric, low thermal expansion and high heat resistance properties, the company plans to commercialize it as a substrate for next-generation power devices.

As the power of silicon-based power devices increases in recent years, the measures to deal with heat are gaining importance. In addition, substrate materials for silicon carbide-based power devices driven at high speed require further measures against heat.

There is a method of adding inorganic fillers such as alumina (Al₂O₃) to organic materials to enhance thermal conductivity, but highly-filled fillers deteriorate formability and lower thermal conductivity.

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