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Thermal Conductivity Studies of Molybdenum-Copper Alloy

The thermal conductivity of molybdenum-copper alloy increases with the increase of copper content, but it is necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as thermal expansion coefficient and mechanical strength to meet the needs of different application scenarios. 

Optimization of manufacturing processes, such as liquid-phase sintering and HIP processing, can help improve the thermal conductivity of materials, allowing them to play a greater role in high-power electronic packaging and thermal management.

Thermal conductivity is a key parameter that measures the ability of a material to conduct heat, usually measured in W/m·K. The thermal conductivity of molybdenum copper is between that of pure copper (about 400 W/m·K) and pure molybdenum (about 140 W/m·K), and by adjusting the composition ratio, its thermal properties can be optimized to make it suitable for different electronic packaging needs.

The thermal conductivity of different molybdenum-copper ratios is mainly affected by the content of molybdenum and copper, and the following are typical data for different composition ratios:

Mo70Cu30: about 160-180 W/m·K

Mo60Cu40: about 180-200 W/m·K

Mo50Cu50: about 200-220 W/m·K

The higher the copper content, the higher the thermal conductivity of the material, but the mechanical strength and high temperature resistance may be reduced.

Influencing factors

(1) Ingredient ratio

Molybdenum has a lower thermal conductivity, while copper has a higher thermal conductivity, so increasing the copper content will generally improve the overall thermal conductivity. However, a balance needs to be found between thermal conductivity and other properties such as coefficient of thermal expansion, mechanical strength.

(2) Manufacturing process

Different manufacturing processes have a significant impact on the microstructure and thermal conductivity of materials:

Powder metallurgy process: Slightly lower thermal conductivity due to the possible presence of a small number of pores.

Liquid-phase sintering process: through the penetration of copper, the density of the material is increased, so that the thermal conductivity reaches a high level.

Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) treatment: It can reduce porosity and improve thermal conductivity.

(3) Material density

High-density molybdenum-copper has better thermal conductivity than low-density alloys because the lower porosity reduces obstacles in the heat conduction process.

(4) Operating temperature

Temperature changes affect the lattice vibration of the material, which affects the thermal conductivity. In general, molybdenum copper retains a high thermal conductivity at high temperatures, making it suitable for heat dissipation in electronic devices at high temperatures.

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