Achievement

Cola and Bougher are developing high thermal conductivity conjugated polymer nanofibers, and are building new metrology tools to characterize the materials. A laser pump probe system capable of extremely sensitive thermal conductivity and interface conductance measurements, Time Domain Thermoreflectance, was built and verified; modifications to allow interface conductance measurements between aligned polymer nanofiber arrays contacting a flat surface are in progress. The template-assisted electrochemical deposition nanofiber synthesis was optimized, and thermal conductivity measurements were performed. The nanofibers have an order of magnitude increase in thermal conductivity, significant because they are purely amorphous. Enhanced thermal conductivity in amorphous polymers has not been previously demonstrated. These arrays can create thermal interface materials with commercially competitive performance and improved thermal stability over known polymer systems.