Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1069358
62 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2019 Johnson: That makes sense. Tell us a little bit about what Aismalibar is currently working on for new developments and products in that direction. Benmayor: We have been working for more than one and a half years already trying to create a high- Tg material in the range of 180– 190°C with a low CTE and 4 W/mk thermal conductivity layer. To achieve this goal, we had to put a lot of effort into our R&D with the epoxy resin technology in combination with the mineral filler type, particle size, and the combination of the reactivity in between them. The particle type, size, and shape and how you disperse all the particles inside the resin is a very challenging thing to do because everything counts. If you don't use the right particle size and type, high thermal conductivity is very difficult to achieve. Many aspects will drive you to the correct way to do the dielectric layer or to a level where you do not have any success or increase in the thermal conductivity. We have also been playing with nanoparticles inside the resin to reach better thermal conductivities. A lot of R&D is being made with the kinds and fillers to achieve these goals. Johnson: Are nanoparticles paying off in R&D? Do they seem to have some potential for you? Benmayor: There is very big potential with nanoparticles; the problem is the price. Nanoparticle technology is an incredible technology to use, but the price is a killing factor, you can achieve incredible goals, but customers may not be able to pay for the technology on mass production. Johnson: It's very good technology, but not scalable to large volumes? Benmayor: For the moment, nanoparticles are a reality, but they difficult to use in large scale due to the price. We are sure that this technology will develop and prices will be reduced, making the technology more accessible. Nanoparticles, with no doubt, will be a major player inside this thermal management technology. Johnson: It seems like Aismalibar is going to have a whole series of different formulations with constraints that are in opposing directions that you're trying to achieve at the same time. There's going to be a need to change the recipe or dispersion to optimize toward one end or the other. Am I reading this right? Benmayor: Perfectly. You have different segments in the electronics. Some customers need the thermal improvement on the boards, but they are not capable to pay the high-end products, and this is a huge volume today. For example, LED TVs are full of thermal laminates inside to release the heat of the LEDs, but these companies are not capable to pay a high-end product, so they are focused on mass volume and low cost. But there's a need for that in the market, and that market is still very big today. On the opposite side, you have the high- end LED supplier for a stadium light or for a powertrain in vehicles, for example, and they are willing to and can pay for the high-end products if you offer them the right solution. Aismalibar is working today mainly on the high-end market to offer the best solution for the high-end market. This market is ready to pay a higher amount if you are capable to offer them a technical solution. Johnson: And of course, products in the high- end market often find a way to get moved into the mainstream. Benmayor: They always try to keep the technical goal at first. And once they are there, they start to see how they can reduce the cost. If they are capable to reduce the cost, they will make what they call a side evaluation of other products if the cost is reasonable for them. Figure 4: Material samples for Cobritherm from Aismalibar.