Degradation of Carbon Nanotube Array Thermal Interface Materials through Thermal Aging: Effects of Bonding, Array Height, and Catalyst Oxidation.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) array thermal interface materials (TIMs) are promising candidates for high-performance applications in terms of thermal performance. However, in order to be useful in commercial applications, the reliability of the interfaces is an equally important parameter, which so far has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, the reliability of CNT array TIMs is investigated through accelerated aging.

Effects of high temperature treatment of carbon nanotube arrays on graphite: increased crystallinity, anchoring and inter-tube bonding.

Thermal treatment of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can significantly improve their mechanical, electrical and thermal properties due to reduced defects and increased crystallinity. In this work we investigate the effect of annealing at 3000 °C of vertically aligned CNT arrays synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on graphite. Raman measurements show a drastically reduced amount of defects and, together with transmission electron microscope (TEM) diffraction measurements, an increased average crystallite size of around 50%, which corresponds to a 124% increase in Young's modulus.