JPH11145351A - Heat dissipating spacer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heat dissipating spacer in which handling property is improved, while keeping high flexibility and high thermal conductivity. SOLUTION: This spacer is formed of silicone set matter containing heat conductive filler and has at least one part wherein difference in the hardness in Askar C hardness in the thickness direction thereof is less than 20 (excludes 0). It is desirable that the thermal conductivity be 0.7 W/m.K or more and Askar C hardness of the entire spacer be less than 50. In the heat dissipating spacer, it is desirable that silicone set matter is constituted of a single layer or multilayer of three or more layers.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved heat-radiating spacer having high flexibility and high thermal conductivity.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In heat-generating electronic components such as transistors and thyristors, it is important to remove heat generated during use. Conventionally, heat removal is performed by attaching heat-generating electronic components to heat-dissipating fins or metal plates via an electrically insulating heat-conductive sheet. Is used.

On the other hand, with the recent increase in the density of electronic devices,
If there is no space to install the heat radiation fins, or if the electronic equipment is sealed and it is difficult to dissipate heat from the heat radiation fins, a method of directly transferring the heat generated from the heat-generating electronic components to the case of the electronic equipment Is adopted. In this method, a highly flexible heat radiation spacer having a thickness sufficient to fill a space between the heat-generating electronic component and the case is used. Also, in the case of heat dissipation when a heat-generating electronic component made into an IC or LSI is mounted on a printed circuit board, a highly flexible heat-dissipating spacer is used between the printed board and the heat-dissipating fins.

[0004] As such a highly flexible heat radiation spacer, an extremely soft one having an Asker-C hardness of less than 50 is used so as not to damage the heat-generating electronic component due to pressing during mounting. For this reason, handling properties (handling properties) are poor, and in order to improve the handling properties, those having a reinforcing layer have been conventionally proposed. For example, a flexible layer is laminated on a reinforcing layer formed in advance (JP-A-2-196453, JP-A-6-155517), or a glass cloth is inserted inside the flexible layer (JP-A-7-1995). -266356).

[0005]

However, according to these heat-radiating spacers, the handleability is improved, but there is a problem that flexibility and thermal conductivity must be sacrificed.

That is, when a flexible layer is laminated on a reinforcing layer formed in advance, not only the manufacturing process is complicated, but also a difference in hardness of Asker-C hardness between the flexible layer and the reinforcing layer is about 50 or more. If the heat-dissipating spacers are spread laterally due to pressure when they are mounted, the reinforcing layer with low elongation will act as a resistance and suppress the spread, greatly increasing flexibility. To decline. In particular, when the pressure is increased, the reinforcing layer and the flexible layer are separated, and the thermal conductivity is also reduced.

[0007] When a glass cloth is placed inside the flexible layer, the manufacturing process can be simplified, but the glass cloth does not extend, and thus there is the same problem of lowering the flexibility as described above. Also,
The glass cloth has a low thermal conductivity, and is peeled off from the flexible layer even when a slight pressure is applied, so that the thermal conductivity is reduced.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heat radiation spacer having improved handleability while maintaining high flexibility and high thermal conductivity.

[0009]

That is, the present invention comprises a silicone solidified product containing a thermally conductive filler, and has a difference in hardness of Asker C hardness in the thickness direction of 20 or less (0 is 0). The heat radiation spacer is characterized by having at least one portion which does not include (excluding), particularly having a thermal conductivity of 0.7 W / m · K or more and an overall Asker C hardness of less than 50. A heat radiation spacer characterized by the following. Further, in the present invention, in these heat radiation spacers, in order to eliminate delamination and not sacrifice thermal conductivity, a silicone solidified material is formed in a single layer, and a pressure is released by applying a pressure. In order to sometimes easily return to the original shape (improve the resilience), the silicone solidified product is constituted by three or more layers.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail.

The solidified silicone as the matrix of the present invention has high flexibility, and a specific example thereof is a solidified addition reaction type silicone. Examples of the addition reaction type silicone include a one-pack type silicone having both a vinyl group and an H-Si group in one molecule or an organopolysiloxane having a vinyl group at a terminal or a side chain and two or more at the terminal or a side chain. And a two-part silicone with an organopolysiloxane having an H-Si group. The flexibility of the solidified silicone can be adjusted by the crosslink density of the silicone and the filling amount of the thermally conductive filler.

The ratio of the solidified silicone to the thermally conductive filler is such that the solidified silicone is 30 to 90% by volume, especially 40% by volume.
~ 80% by volume, heat conductive filler is 70 ~ 10% by volume,
In particular, it is preferably from 60 to 20% by volume. Less than 30% by volume of silicone solidified material or 7 thermally conductive fillers
When the content exceeds 0% by volume, the flexibility becomes insufficient. Also,
If the solidified silicone exceeds 90% by volume, or if the amount of the thermally conductive filler is less than 10% by volume, the thermal conductivity decreases.

As the thermal conductive filler, one or more selected from boron nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, magnesia, silicon carbide, zinc oxide, aluminum, copper, silver and the like are used. . The shape of the heat conductive filler may be any shape such as a sphere, a powder, a fiber, a needle, and a scale. Particle size, average particle size 0.5
の も の 100 μm is used.

The overall hardness of the heat radiation spacer of the present invention is as follows:
The Asker C hardness is preferably less than 50, particularly preferably 30 or less. If the Asker C hardness is 50 or more, the adhesion to the heat-generating electronic component and the shape-following property are deteriorated, so that the heat radiation characteristic is reduced.

The thermal conductivity of the heat radiation spacer of the present invention is preferably 0.7 W / m · K or more, particularly preferably 1.0 W / m · K or more.

The thickness of the heat radiation spacer of the present invention is as follows.
0.5 to 20 mm is common. The planar shape is not particularly limited, such as a polygon such as a triangle, a quadrangle, and a pentagon, a circle, an ellipse, and the like, and the surface may have a curved surface such as a spherical surface.

According to the present invention, such a heat radiation spacer is provided with at least one portion having a hardness difference of Asker C hardness of 20 or less (not including 0) in the thickness direction, thereby providing high flexibility and high heat. A major feature is that the handleability has been improved while maintaining the conductivity.
The hardness difference can be confirmed by cutting out two adjacent heat radiation spacer layers from the heat radiation spacer and measuring the Asker C hardness thereof.

In the present invention, at least one, preferably two or more, portions having the above hardness difference of 20 or less (excluding 0) are provided. In order to provide two or more hardness differences, (a) gradually increase or decrease in the thickness direction of the heat radiation spacer and change it incline. (B) increase the hardness of the central part and reduce the hardness of both front and back surfaces. Yes, (c)
This can be done by lowering the hardness at the center and increasing the hardness on both the front and back surfaces. According to (a), a heat radiation spacer excellent in balance between high flexibility, high thermal conductivity and handleability, and according to (b), a heat radiation spacer particularly excellent in handleability and adhesion, according to (c) In this case, even if there is a burr or the like in the contacted member, it is difficult to tear, and a heat radiation spacer having high flexibility can be easily obtained.

The following method can be employed to provide the above hardness difference in the thickness direction of the heat radiation spacer.

(1) Two or three or more slurries having different hardnesses after solidification are adjusted stepwise by changing the crosslink density and / or the amount of the thermally conductive filler, and after defoaming under vacuum, A method in which they are poured into a mold sequentially or in random order to form a laminated state, and then cured at once with a dryer, a far-infrared dryer or the like. In this case, the heat radiation spacer is formed of a single layer of the solidified silicone. (2) A method in which a slurry is poured into a mold and cured to some extent, and then another slurry is poured and cured. In this case, when another slurry is poured, a heat radiation spacer composed of two or more layers in which each layer of the solidified silicone is distinctly different depending on the degree of hardening of the previously poured slurry.

(3) In the above methods (1) and (2), each slurry is coated and formed by a doctor blade method instead of being poured into a mold. (4) Two or three or more kinds of kneaded materials having different crosslink densities and / or heat conductive filler compounding amounts are extruded from a multi-screw screw, bundled and integrated by a mold, and then cured by a belt dryer or the like. Method. In this case, the heat radiation spacer is likely to be a single layer of the solidified silicone.

(5) The heat-conductive filler is filled in a mold in such a manner that the amount of the heat-conductive filler is changed in an inclined manner in the thickness direction of the sheet. A method in which slurries are poured sequentially or in any order and then cured. In this case, the heat radiation spacer is formed of a single layer of the solidified silicone. (6) a slurry or kneaded mixture containing a large thermally conductive filler having a particle diameter of about 20 to 100 μm,
A slurry or a kneaded material containing a thermally conductive filler having an average particle size of less than 20 μm is prepared in advance and the above (1) to
A method of casting, doctor blade molding, or extrusion molding according to (5). (7) A method in which one kind of slurry is poured into a mold or applied by a doctor blade method, left at room temperature until a large-particle heat conductive filler settles, and then cured with a dryer, a far-infrared dryer, or the like. . In this case, the heat radiation spacer is formed of a single layer of the solidified silicone.

In these cases, the viscosity of the slurry or the kneaded material is 100,000 cps or less, particularly 20,000 cps or less in the case of the casting method or the doctor blade method, and 100,000 cps or more in the case of the extrusion molding method. It is desirable. At the time of thickening, tens to hundreds of μm of silicone fine powder or ultra-fine powder such as Aerosil are used.

As described above, in the heat radiation spacer of the present invention, the layer of the solidified silicone may be a single layer or a multilayer of two or more layers, but may be a single layer or a multilayer of three or more layers. It is preferred that In the case of a single layer, the manufacture of the heat radiation spacer is relatively easy, and there is no fear of delamination. In the case of three or more layers, different combinations of thermal conductivity, strength, and other properties are possible, and it becomes easy to manufacture various kinds of heat radiation spacers according to the purpose. In addition, it is often easier to return to the original shape (restorability) when a pressure is applied and released, than a single layer.

[0025]

The present invention will be described below more specifically with reference to examples and comparative examples.

Example 1 In this example, a heat-radiating spacer was manufactured using two types of slurries having the same blending amount of the heat conductive filler and different crosslink densities of the solidified silicone. That is, silicone A liquid (organopolysiloxane having a vinyl group)
And a silicone B liquid (organopolysiloxane having an H-Si group), a two-part addition reaction type silicone (trade name "CY52-283" manufactured by Dow Corning Toray Co., Ltd.)
The mixing ratio of the liquid to the liquid B was set to the ratio (vol%) shown in Table 1, and alumina (average particle size: 17 μm, “AS-30” manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) and silicon nitride having an average particle size of 28 μm (electric Slurry 1 and Slurry 3 were prepared by mixing at a ratio shown in Table 1 with trade name “F-2” manufactured by Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

According to the doctor blade method, first, after the slurry 1 is applied, the slurry 3 is immediately slurried before it is cured.
Was applied thereon. The coating thickness is shown in Table 1. Next, this was heated in a far-infrared dryer at 150 ° C. × 10 minutes,
Further, the silicone was solidified by heating at 150 ° C. × 22 hours with a hot air drier to produce a heat radiation spacer.

Examples 2 to 4 In this example, heat radiation spacers were produced using two types of slurries having different amounts of the thermally conductive filler and different crosslink densities of the solidified silicone. That is, silicone A
The mixing ratio of the liquid and the silicone B liquid was set to the ratio (% by volume) shown in Table 1, and alumina “AS-30” and silicon nitride “F-2” were mixed at the ratio shown in Table 1, and the slurry 1 and the slurry 1 were mixed. 3 was prepared.

In Example 2, a radiating spacer was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1 except that these slurries were used. In Examples 3 and 4, after applying the slurry 1 first,
The heat radiation spacer was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the slurry 3 was immediately applied thereon before being cured, and the slurry 1 was immediately applied again thereon before being cured. did.

Example 5 This example is an example in which the heat radiation spacer of the present invention was manufactured using one kind of slurry. That is, the same silicone A liquid and silicone B liquid as those of Example 1 were used, and alumina having an average particle diameter of 10 μm (trade name “AS” manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) was used.
−50 ”) and spherical alumina having an average particle diameter of 50 μm (trade name“ CB-50 ”manufactured by Showa Denko KK) were mixed at a ratio shown in Table 1 to prepare a slurry 3. This was defoamed by a vacuum dryer, applied to a thickness shown in Table 1 by a doctor blade method, and allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to spontaneously sediment alumina particles having a relatively large particle diameter at the bottom. Next, this was heated with a far-infrared dryer at 150 ° C. × 10 minutes, and further heated with a hot-air dryer at 150 ° C. × 22 hours to solidify the silicone,
A heat radiation spacer was manufactured.

Each of the heat radiation spacers manufactured in Examples 1 to 5 is made of a single layer of solidified silicone, and the hardness difference in the thickness direction is inclined in Examples 1, 2 and 5. In Examples 3 and 4, the change was non-inclined.

Examples 6 and 7 In this example, heat radiation spacers were manufactured using three types of slurries having different amounts of the thermally conductive filler and different crosslink densities of the solidified silicone. That is, the same silicone liquid and heat conductive filler as used in the above example were used, and the slurry 1, slurry 2, and slurry 3 shown in Table 1 were used.
Was prepared.

After applying the slurry 1 by the doctor blade method, the slurry 1 was heated at 150 ° C. × 5 minutes with a far-infrared drier, and then the slurry 2 was applied on the upper surface thereof.
Heat for 5 minutes. Next, after slurry 3 was further applied on the upper surface, the slurry was heated at 150 ° C. × 10 minutes with a far-infrared drier, and further heated at 150 ° C. × 22 hours with a hot air drier to solidify the silicone, thereby producing a heat radiation spacer.

Each of the heat radiation spacers manufactured in Examples 6 and 7 had a multilayer structure composed of three layers of solidified silicone, and the hardness in the thickness direction was inclined. .

Comparative Example 1 A heat radiation spacer was produced in the same manner as in Example 2 except that only the slurry 1 was applied in a thickness of 1.5 mm.

Comparative Example 2 A heat radiation spacer was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 2 except that only the slurry 3 was applied to a thickness of 1.5 mm.

Comparative Example 3 Slurry 1 was applied, and it was heated at 150 ° C. × 2 with a hot air drier.
A heat radiation spacer was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the reinforcing layer was formed by heating and curing with Hr, and then the slurry 3 was applied thereon.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 4 The heat radiation was performed in the same manner as in Example 5 except that only the slurry 3 was applied to a thickness of 1.0 mm and then immediately cured before the thermally conductive filler settled down. A spacer was manufactured.

The heat radiation spacers manufactured in Comparative Examples 1, 2 and 3 were all made of a single layer of solidified silicone, but had no difference in hardness in the thickness direction. In Comparative Example 3, the hardness difference between the reinforcing layer and the silicon solidified layer was extremely different (the hardness difference of Asker C was 3
6).

Comparative Example 5 A heat radiation spacer was produced in the same manner as in Example 7, except that the slurry 2 was not applied. In the obtained heat radiation spacer, the hardness difference between the reinforcing layer and the silicone solidified layer was extremely different, and the hardness difference of Asker C was 30.

Comparative Example 6 A heat radiation sheet (trade name “M-20”, manufactured by Denki Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd.) of 0.2 mm was disposed as a reinforcing layer, and the slurry 3 was applied on the upper surface thereof. Similarly, a heat radiation spacer was manufactured. In the obtained heat radiation spacer, the hardness of the reinforcing layer and the hardness of the silicone solidified layer were extremely different.

With respect to the heat radiation spacer obtained above,
The compressibility, thermal conductivity, Asker C hardness, handleability, presence / absence of delamination, and resilience were measured according to the following. Table 2 shows the results.

(1) Compression Ratio A 1 kg load is applied to the 1 cm ² portion of the heat radiation spacer in the thickness direction by a precision universal testing machine (trade name “Autograph” manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) to reduce the compression ratio (%). = Compressive deformation (mm) x 100 / original thickness (mm).

(2) Thermal Resistance A heat radiation spacer is sandwiched between a TO-3 type copper heater case and a copper plate, and after compressing 20% of the thickness, 5 W of electric power is applied to the copper heater case and held for 4 minutes. The temperature difference (° C.) between the heater case and the copper plate was measured. And
The thermal resistance is calculated by the following equation: thermal resistance (° C./W)=temperature difference (° C.) / Power (W), and the thermal conductivity (W / m ·
K) = thickness (m) / [thermal resistance (K / W) × measured area (m
² )], the thermal conductivity was calculated.

(3) Asker C Hardness The hardness of the entire heat-radiating spacer was measured, and the heat-radiating spacer was sliced into approximately four divided thicknesses. Thereafter, the hardness of the heat dissipation spacer in four sections in the thickness direction (upper section, middle upper section, middle lower section, lower section) was measured with an Asker C hardness meter at a load of 1 kg.

(4) Handling Property The handling property (handling property) of the heat radiation spacer was determined by finger touch. "O": Good handling, no deformation even when lifted by hand. “×”: Poor handling, deformed when lifted by hand.

(5) Presence or absence of delamination Whether or not delamination occurred was determined by pulling the heat radiation spacer up and down by hand. "O": No delamination. “×”: delamination occurs.

(6) Restorability After compression until the thickness of the heat radiation spacer is reduced to 1/3,
The compression was released, and it was measured whether the thickness was almost returned to the original thickness. "O": Return to the original. “×”: Does not return.

[0049]

[Table 1]

[0050]

[Table 2]

[0051]

According to the present invention, there is provided a heat radiation spacer having improved handleability while maintaining high thermal conductivity and high flexibility.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method comprising a solidified silicone containing a thermally conductive filler, wherein at least one portion having a hardness difference of Asker C hardness of 20 or less (not including 0) in a thickness direction thereof is provided. A heat dissipating spacer, comprising: 2. The heat radiation spacer according to claim 1, wherein the heat conductivity is 0.7 W / m · K or more and the Asker C hardness is less than 50. 3. The heat radiation spacer according to claim 1, wherein the solidified silicone is composed of a single layer. 4. The heat radiation spacer according to claim 1, wherein the solidified silicone is composed of three or more layers.