US Patent 7700943 - Functionalized CNT heat spreader

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7700943.html

This patent from Intel teaches that nanotube functionalization can assist in the mixing of nanotubes with polymers or metals to form more effective materials for thermal management. Claim 1 reads:

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first layer attached to surface of a die; and

a nanotube (NT) composite coupled to the first layer to provide thermal management for the die, the NT composite including a nanotube (NT) structure functionalized with radicals of a first polymer; wherein the NT structure comprises:

a substrate; and

a functionalized carbon NT array grown or deposited on the substrate, the functionalized carbon NT array including a plurality of aligned or non-aligned single-walled or multi-walled carbon NTs having surfaces attached to the radicals.