Northeastern University Develops New Lightweight Composite for Effective Cooling of Electronic Devices

Researchers at Northeastern University have developed a new lightweight plastic-ceramic composite that can conduct heat and cool advanced electronic devices more effectively. According to Randall Erb, the head of the university's Directed Assembly of Particles and Suspensions (DAPS) lab and the project's principal investigator, thermal management is a significant challenge for power electronics and radar antennas. He stated, 'When electronic devices overheat, you either slow them down or shut them off. This might be acceptable for phones, but it is not for critical systems like radar.' The Northeastern researchers collaborated with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to create a material that combines ceramics, polymers, and additives, resulting in a 3D printable plastic composite with a unique nano-structured internal architecture that allows heat to pass through easily.