US Patent 7569425 - Manufacture of aligned CNT thermal interface film

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569425.html

The excellent thermal transport properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted the interest of companies such as Intel looking for solutions in the growing problem of heat accumulation in microprocessors. In order to maximize the efficiency of CNT thermal transport this patent from Hon Hai Precision Industry teaches a way to produce nanotube films of very good alignment. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for manufacturing a thermal interface material, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming an array of carbon nanotubes on a substrate;

(b) applying a liquid macromolecular material to the carbon nanotubes;

(c) solidifying the liquid macromolecular material; and

(d) cutting the solidified macromolecular material in a direction perpendicular to the long axes of the carbon nanotubes, to thereby obtain the thermal interface material with the carbon nanotubes secured therein.