Development of a novel electrochemical process for the production of Cambridge Nanotherm's nanoceramic-Aluminium substrate aimed at addressing the thermal management issues associated with global LED technology

由于照明占英国所有电力消耗的20%以上，发光二极管（LED）作为一种高效，持久和通用的光源，在全球范围内实现改善环境和经济绩效的手段提供了重大承诺。尽管在设计和材料方面有所创新，但热管理仍然是与LED相关的最关键问题。目前，LED只将大约25%的电能转化为可见光，其余75%转化为必须有效去除的热量。LED芯片内温度升高导致效率、可靠性和寿命下降，被认为是故障的主要原因。led通过其所安装的基板散热。通过应用高度创新和专利的基板，使用纳米陶瓷铝，其导热系数比任何现有技术高两倍，剑桥纳米热解决了这个问题，将LED的工作温度降低了15-25°C，将光效提高了20%，并使LED的寿命增加了一倍。这种方法的重要性已经得到了一些全球知名LED制造商的认可，他们目前正在试用该产品。通过当前项目的范围，碳纳米管寻求在商业规模上开发一种有效和经济的制造技术手段。由于碳纳米管基板的特殊性质，现有的陶瓷涂层工艺不适合，导致需要开发定制的涂层工艺。在TSB的支持下，CNT的目标是开发一个自动化制造过程的预生产原型，该过程基于在铝基上应用介电陶瓷层的专有电化学过程。如果成功，由此产生的制造工艺将为在113亿美元的全球LED市场中开发纳米陶瓷铝基板提供一种手段，解决重大的市场需求

With lighting constituting in excess of 20% of all electricity consumption in the UK, LightEmitting Diodes (LED’s) as a highly efficient, long lasting & versatile light source offerssignificant promise as a means to achieve improved environmental & economic performance on a global scale.Despite innovation in design & materials, thermal management remains the most criticalproblem associated with LED’s. Currently LED’s only convert circa 25% of the powerutilised into visible light with the remaining 75% turned into heat that must be effectivelyremoved. Increased temperature within LED chips leads to a drop of efficiency, reliability &lifespan & is recognised as the main cause of failure.LEDs dissipate heat through the substrates on which they are mounted. Through theapplication of a highly innovative & patented substrate using nanoceramic-aluminium whichhas twice higher thermal conductivity than any current techniques, Cambridge Nanothermhave addressed this issue, reducing LED working temperature by 15-25°C, increasing the light efficiency by up to 20% & doubling the lifetime of LEDs. The significance of the approach is already recognised by a number of globally established LED manufacturers who are currently trialling the product.Through the scope of the current project, CNT seek to develop an effective & economicmeans of manufacturing the technology on a commercial scale. Due to the specific properties of CNT’s substrate, existing current ceramic coating processes are not suitable, resulting in a need to develop a bespoke coating process. With support from the TSB, CNT aim to develop a pre-production prototype of an automated manufacturing process which is based on the proprietary electrochemical process of applying a dielectric ceramic layer on Aluminium base.If successful, the resulting manufacturing process will provide a means of exploitingnanoceramic-aluminium substrates within the 11.3bn Global LED market, addressing asignificant mkt need