Patent ID: 7678614

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a thermal interface material, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of thermally conductive fibers synthesized using polymer and thermally conductive materials; aligning the thermally conductive fibers uniformly and directionally to form an array of the thermally conductive fibers; immersing the array of thermally conductive fibers into a liquid macromolecular material; and solidifying the liquid macromolecular material to obtain a macromolecular matrix having two opposite surfaces with the thermally conductive fibers embedded therein, the thermally conductive fibers extending from one surface to another opposite surface; wherein the thermally conductive fiber is a carbon nanotube and polymer composite fiber and a method for synthesizing the carbon nanotube and polymer composite fiber comprises: supplying a polyurethane solution into a container filled with an acetic acid ethyl ester solution; adding carbon nanotubes to the container to obtain a mixture, and distributing the mixture in an ultrasonic processor; placing the mixture into a dish filled with de-ionized water; and obtaining a piece of carbon nanotube/acetic acid ethyl ester composite fiber from a surface of the mixture.