A research team led by Prof. Huang Xingyi and Dr. Shi Kunming from Shanghai Jiao Tong University has developed a multilayer thermally conductive and electrically insulating tape (MTCEIT). This innovation enables a CPU temperature reduction of up to 9°C, offering a new solution for heat dissipation in compact electronic devices.
The MTCEIT structure sandwiches graphene paper (high thermal conductivity core) between BNNS-filled PBCOEA adhesive layers, combined with a silicone rubber (SR) composite backing filled with hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) flakes. At a thickness of approximately 300 μm, the tape achieves an in-plane thermal conductivity of 121.22 W/m·K, a volume resistivity of 5.07×10¹¹ Ω·cm, and a Weibull characteristic breakdown strength of 36.9 kV/mm.
In real-world tests, MTCEIT reduced the CPU temperature of thin laptops by 9°C and stabilized video frame rate fluctuation within ≤0.1 fps in ultra-thin smartphones without active cooling.
The study, titled "Graphene Paper-Based Multilayer Thermally Conductive Tapes with Exceptional Electrical Insulation for High Heat Flux Dissipation," was published in Advanced Functional Materials (AFM).
Figure 1. Design of the MTCEIT.
(a) Schematic illustration of a heat dissipation system in compact electronic devices incorporating the MTCEIT.
(b) Surface temperature distribution of tapes with different structures under steady-state conditions in finite element simulations.
(c–e) Maximum equilibrium temperature of the heat source in the finite element simulations as a function of (c) the thickness ratio of each layer, (d) the in-plane (κ//) and through-plane (κ⊥) thermal conductivity of the adhesive layers, and (e) the interfacial thermal resistance between the adhesive layer and the ultrahigh-κ// layer as well as between the adhesive layer and the backing layer .
Figure 2. Structure and mechanical properties of the MTCEIT.
(a) Optical images of the MTCEIT and commercial graphene paper.
(b) Cross-sectional and (c) interlayer compact contact SEM images of the MTCEIT.
(d) EDS spectrum and (e) XRD pattern of the MTCEIT.
(f) Bending and (g) shaping states of the MTCEIT.
(h) Tensile stress–strain curve of the MTCEIT.
Figure 3. Thermal conductivity and electrical insulation of the MTCEITs.
Figure 4. Heat dissipation of a thin laptop.
(a) Optical image of the laptop motherboard. The size of the MTCEIT is 130 mm × 60 mm.
(b) Schematic illustration of the simplified CPU heat dissipation system.
(c) Infrared thermal images of the laptop.
(d) Temperature variation and (e) CPU temperature at 1200 s. The inset in (d) shows the optical image of the tested laptop.
All tests were conducted under normal operating conditions. The temperature was measured by the built-in CPU sensor and monitored using AIDA64 Extreme software.
Figure 5. Heat dissipation of an ultra-thin smartphone without active cooling.
