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RESEARCH PAPERS

# Boron Nitride Particle Filled Paraffin Wax as a Phase-Change Thermal Interface Material

[+] Author and Article Information
Zongrong Liu, D. D. Chung

Composite Materials Research Laboratory, University at Buffalo,  The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260-4400

J. Electron. Packag 128(4), 319-323 (Jun 01, 2006) (5 pages) doi:10.1115/1.2351895 History: Received April 21, 2004; Revised June 01, 2006

## Abstract

Wax (predominantly tricosane paraffin wax, with a melting temperature of $48°C$) filled with hexagonal boron nitride (BN) particles $(5–11μm)$ was found to be an effective phase-change thermal interface material. The thermal contact conductance, as measured with the interface material between copper surfaces, decreased with increasing temperature from $22to48°C$, but increased with increasing temperature from $48to55°C$. The melting of the wax enhanced the conductance, due to increased conformability to the mating surfaces. For a given BN volume fraction and a given temperature, the thermal contact conductance increased with increasing contact pressure. However, a pressure above $0.30MPa$ resulted in no significant increase in the conductance. The conductance increased with BN content up to $6.2vol.%$, but decreased upon further increase to $8.6vol.%$. The highest conductance above the melting temperature was $18×104W∕m2.°C$, as attained for a BN content of $4.0vol.%$ at $55°C$ and $0.30MPa$. Below the melting temperature, the highest conductance was $19×104W∕m2.°C$, as attained for a BN content of $6.2vol.%$ at $22°C$ and $0.30MPa$.

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## Figures

Figure 1

Experimental set-up for thermal contact conductance measurement

Figure 2

Variation with temperature of the thermal contact conductance of wax filled with (a) 4.0vol.% BN and (b) 8.6vol.% BN. The pressure is 0.08MPa.

Figure 3

Variation with temperature of the thermal contact conductance of wax filled with (a) 4.0vol.% BN and (b) 8.6vol.% BN. The pressure is 0.43MPa.

Figure 4

Variation with BN volume fraction of the thermal contact conductance of wax∕BN at different temperatures. The pressure is 0.30MPa.

Figure 5

Variation with pressure of the thermal contact conductance of wax filled with 4.0vol.% BN. The temperature ranges from 22to55°C.

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