Experimental investigation on the influence of carbon-based nanoparticle coating on the heat transfer characteristics of the microprocessor

Abstract

In the current scenario, thermal management plays a vital role in electronic system design. The temperature of the electronic components should not exceed manufacturer-specified temperature levels in order to maintain safe operating range and service life. The reduction in heat build-up will certainly enhance the component life and reliability of the system. The aim of this research work is to analyze the effect of multi-walled carbon nanotube and graphene coating on the heat transfer capacity of a microprocessor used in personal computers. The performance of coating materials was investigated at three different usages of central processing unit. Multi-walled carbon nanotube-coated and graphene-coated microprocessors showed better enhancement in heat transfer as compared with uncoated microprocessors. Maximum decrease in heat build-up of 7 and 9℃ was achieved for multi-walled carbon nanotube-coated and graphene-coated microprocessors compared to pure substrate. From the results, graphene has been proven to be a suitable candidate for effective heat transfer compared to with multi-walled carbon nanotubes due to high thermal conductivity characteristics of the former compared to the latter.