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RESEARCHERS at Rice University say 3D structures of “white graphene” could help keep small electronics cool.
Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), in its 2D form, looks like graphene, but it is a natural insulator rather than being a perfect conductor.
However, like graphene, h-BN is a good conductor of heat. Researchers Rouzbeh Shahsavari and Navid Sakhavand decided to look into its applications for cooling miniature electronics.
In modern electronics, substrates and components are layered. This allows heat to move very quickly in one direction, along a conductive plane, but heat conductance from layer to layer can be poor.
The researchers found the same behaviour for 2D boron nitride. However, by connecting the 2D h-BN planes with boron nitride nano-tubes (creating a 3D structure), the researchers found the heat could move between layers too.
The scientists looked further into the performance of these nano-tubes in conducting heat, and found that the junctions of pillars and planes significantly slow the flow of heat from layer to layer, although they do not stop it. However, the longer the pillars are, the faster the heat flow.
Since boron nitride is an electrical insulator, this means they could be used in conjunction with silicon and graphene-based electronics to provide cooling without interfering with the electronic performance.
It could also allow for tuneable heat conductance, by creating “thermal switches”, where heat may flow faster in one direction while slowing for the other.