Applications for ultrahigh thermal conductivity graphite fibers

Thermal management has become a limiting problem for both military and commercial systems. High thermal conductivity graphite fibers provide a breakthrough in the efficiency of conductive cooling. The fibers also have exceedingly high specific modulus and a negative coefficient of thermal expansion; these properties can be used to tailor the thermal expansion of composite materials to virtually any required level. This paper discusses the nature of the fibers, the translation of fiber properties into composites including metal, organic, and carbon matrix. Emphasis is on applications for the resulting high thermal conductivity composites. These applications include electronic packaging, aircraft, and spacecraft.