Boron Nitride Nanoparticles-Based Thermal Adhesives for Thermal Management of High-Temperature Electronics

Reliability testing of thermally conductive, high-temperature, high-dielectric strength materials was conducted using newly developed high-temperature thermal conductivity and high-dielectric breakdown voltage characterization instruments based on ASTM Standards. These instruments and tests were used for optimizing thermal conductivity and dielectric breakdown of Bismaleimide Resin (BMI) - Boron Nitride Nanoparticle (BNNP) composites of various weight-percent concentrations for semiconductor packaging. Multiple variations of BMI-BNNP composite samples were fabricated through high-pressure, high-temperature compression molding, and subsequently tested using the developed instruments; it was shown that as the concentration of BN in the composite increased, so did the thermal conductivity and dielectric strength of the material. A near-linear trend was exhibited for thermal conductivity as the BN concentration increased, while the dielectric breakdown voltage showed an exponential increase trend. These thermal conductivity and dielectric breakdown characterization tests were conducted in an effort to develop a high-voltage isolating, high-temperature adhesive that can have tailored thermal conductivity, high dielectric strength, controlled dielectric constant and adhesion to a range of interfaces while retaining mechanical performance and durability.