Electrospray deposition of AlN-PVA composite coating as thermal interface material

Abstract

In this study, aluminum nitride (AlN)-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite coatings as a novel thermal interface material for electronic applications were fabricated by using the electrospray deposition (ESD) technique at room temperature. The influence of deposition time on the morphology and the thermal behavior of AlN-PVA composite coatings was investigated. The microstructural inspections indicate that homogeneous, highly dense, and paste-like AlN-PVA coatings were formed. Increasing the deposition time from 15 min to 30 min reduced the surface roughness of the AlN-PVA coating. Infrared thermography images revealed that the deposition of AlNPVA composite coatings on aluminum alloy substrates dramatically improved its thermal effusivity. The thermal diffusivity of 15 min (38.767 mm2/s) and 30 min (37.485 mm2/s) coated samples were approximately 30% higher than the uncoated substrate (26.638 mm2/s).