Heat Transfer Performance of Superhydrophilic Nanostructured Cu Micropost Wicks for Micro Heat Pipes

Abstract

Micro-heat pipes incorporating advanced wicks are promising for the thermal management of power electronics. We report the heat transfer performance of superhydrophilic Cu micropost wicks fabricated on thin silicon substrates using electrochemical deposition and controlled chemical oxidation. For a fixed post diameter, the inter-post spacing and hence solid fraction is found to be a main design factor affecting the effective heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux. The effective heat transfer coefficient as high as 20 W/cm2 K and the critical heat flux >500 W/cm2 over 2 mm × 2 mm heating areas are demonstrated. Copper oxide nanostructures formed on the micropost surfaces significantly enhance the critical heat flux without compromising the effective heat transfer coefficient. The advanced wick structures and experimental approaches developed in this work will help develop thin and lightweight thermal management solutions for high-power density semiconductor devices.