journal article·2026-03

Pressure‐Regulated Direct‐Foaming Method for Fabricating 3D Porous Graphene Foam Thermal Interface Materials With High Compressibility and Fingerprint‐Level Interfacial Conformability

Hongchuan Zhang, Jiawei Xu, Haoran Wu, Zikang Yu, Xiaohuan Li, Jiaru Fan, Jiahang Fan, Yifan Tu, Hanyu Bai, Xiaoyun Song, Haifeng Ying, Yumin Zhang, Wang Yao, Xulei Wu, Huatao Wang

Advanced Materials Technologies· Volume 11· Issue 6
Publisher page

Abstract

ABSTRACT As electronics shrink and power density rises, effective heat dissipation becomes critical. Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are vital for ensuring the reliability and sustainable operation of next‐generation devices. Conventional research typically prioritizes high thermal conductivity as the primary objective. However, the thickness, compressibility, and deformability of TIMs also critically influence heat transfer performance. Here, a novel strategy is reported for fabricating an ultralight 3D porous graphene TIM with high compressibility and low thermal resistance via pore structure control achieved by regulating pressure during foaming. The prepared reduced graphene oxide (rGO) foam combines ultrahigh compressibility (94.85%) and low density with low thermal resistance (0.151 cm 2 ∙K/W under 100 psi) and excellent in‐plane temperature uniformity performance, while offering superior conformability to complex mating interfaces. A significant reduction in chip temperature (8.83–13.3°C) is achieved compared to commercial thermal pads (5 W/m·K) at heat dissipation powers of 20–30 W. Furthermore, the manufacturability of these TIMs showcases a promising new approach to TIM fabrication for next‐generation, high‐power‐density electronic devices.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Thermal properties of materials · Aerogels and thermal insulation · Advanced Thermoelectric Materials and Devices

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

State Key Laboratory of Precision Welding & Joining of Materials and Structures Harbin Institute of Technology Weihai P. R. China

School of Materials Science and Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai Weihai P. R. China

School of Information Science and Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai Weihai P. R. China

Changzhou Hongju Electric Technology Co., Ltd. Changzhou P. R. China

National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Advanced Composites in Special Environments Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin P. R. China

School of Materials Science and Engineering Jiangsu University of Science and Technology Zhenjiang P. R. China

Funding

Key Technology Research and Development Program of Shandong Province · Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province · National Natural Science Foundation of China

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