Characterization of a dielectric microdroplet thermal interface material with dispersed nanoparticles

This work presents the fabrication and characterization of a dielectric microdroplet thermal interface material (TIM). Glycerin droplets, 1 μL, were tested as TIMs in this study. Copper nanoparticles having a diameter of 25 nm were dispersed in glycerin at different volume fractions to enhance its thermal conductivity. An increase of 57.5 % in the thermal conductivity of glycerin was measured at a volume fraction of 15 %. A minimum thermal interface resistance of 30.37 mm2 K/W was measured for the glycerin microdroplets at a deformed droplet height of 10.2 μm. Good agreement between experimental measurements and the predictions of a model based on Maxwell’s equation of rules of mixtures was obtained. The effect of nanoparticles' size on the effective thermal conductivity of glycerin was studied. Nanoparticles with diameters of 60–80 and 300 nm were dispersed in glycerin at a volume fraction of 5 %, and their results were compared to those of the 25 nm particles.