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CNTs thermal interface materials (TIM) sheet
A thermal interface material (TIM) is usually inserted between a heat sink and a heat element (for examples, CPU, LED) for releasing the heat. Because a vertically-aligned CNT film has a good elasticity and thermal conductivity in the direction vertical to the plane of the heat element, it can be used as a TIM.
VACNT-TIM
A popular heat sink will be made from aluminum. VACNT cannot be grown on aluminum because the melting point of Al is a little lower than the CNT synthesis temperature. However, we can transfer a VACNT film from a Si substrate to the Al heat sink or the heat element using a thermal transfer method. In advance of the transferring, we will coat a thin silicone film on the surface of the heat sink or the heat element in order to bond CNTs tightly.
Left: VACNT grown on a Si substrate.
Right: VACNT has been transferred from the Si substrate to an Al heat sink, on which a thin silicone film was coated for the thermal transfer.