Highly conductive adhesives via novel heterogeneous structures

There is an ever-growing need in the electronics packaging industry for high performance, polymer-based materials having increased electrical and thermal conductivity. All too often the steps taken to reach higher conductivities are accompanied by undesirable property tradeoffs such as reduced adhesion, compliance, and toughness and increased viscosity. In certain cases, fundamental physical limitations restrict the possibilities for formulating highly compliant, high strength adhesive materials. Recent technical developments at LORD Corporation have shown that many of the undesirable tradeoffs encountered in conductive adhesives can be dramatically reduced, if not eliminated. With careful control of adhesive morphology, materials that possess equivalent thermal and electrical conductivities are achievable at a fraction of the filler loadings seen in conventional technologies. Moreover, the morphology affords a broader performance space thus enabling previously unachievable property combinations.