Tape casting and lost carbonate sintering processes for production of heat sinks for portable electronics   

¹Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK

²Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Plot 10071, Boseja Ward, Palapye, Private Bag 16, Botswana, UK

³Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mappin Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2017, 8 (7), pp 807-812

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2017.7074

Publication Date (Web): May 23, 2017

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: mmosalagae1@sheffield.ac.uk

Abstract

Porous copper was fabricated by means of a powder metallurgy process applied to tape casting. Lost Carbonate Sintering (LCS) was employed to control porosity within the component during processing. The weight ratio of the potassium carbonate introduced into the matrix ranged from 30-40 wt%. Additives such as; plasticizers, binders, dispersant and solvents were utilized to control the properties throughout the processes and ease fabrication. The component was debinded and sintered at 400 °C and 900 °C respectively, under vacuum. The potassium carbonate was removed from the sintered component via dissolution in water. By using X-ray Florescence (XRF) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS) techniques, the effectiveness of the dissolution route at removing the space holder was investigated. The results show that porous copper produced in this way has porosity ranging from 75-85 % and pore size from 500-766 mm. The component produced has thickness ranging from 1300 -1800 mm. 

Keywords

Tape casting, lost carbonate sintering, porous copper, heat sinks, dissolution