Thermal Management Of Electronic Devices Research Articles

Heat Flow Overshooting in Suspended Graphene

ABSTRACT In this work we found that when the hydrodynamic heat conduction in suspended graphene is in the under-damped free oscillation regime the disturbance of heat flux at the boundaries of graphene and the joint action of the initial heat flux and its time change rate can cause the heat flow overshooting which refers to the excess heat flux established in the heat conduction medium when two heat flow wave-fronts meet. The overshooting can make the maximum amplitude of the heat flux more than twice that of the initial heat flux, which poses a great danger to the next high-frequency and high-efficiency electronic devices based on graphene, such as the graphene field-effect transistors. Interestingly, results show that when the scale ratio of graphene with rectangular shape in the heat flow direction to its vertical direction is greater than a certain value, the overshooting caused by the disturbance of the heat flux at the boundaries no longer occurs. For the overshooting induced by the uneven distribution of the initial heat flux and its time change rate, it is shown that if the length in the region with the higher heat flux and time change rate in the direction of heat flow is less than a critical value the overshooting phenomenon can be avoided. These findings provide a new way for thermal management of electronic devices based on graphene.

MXene-modified lemon peel-based composite phase change material with excellent photo-thermal conversion efficiency, thermal storage capacity and thermal conductivity for thermal management of electronic components

The preparation of multifunctional composite phase change materials using green technology to achieve an efficient energy storage and conversion remains an issue of concern. In this paper, a lemon peel-based porous carbon (LPC) composite phase change material (CPCM) was prepared by using polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 as a phase change medium and MXene nanosheet-modified carbonized lemon peel as a support carrier. MXene nanosheets were bonded to a lemon peel-based porous carbon skeleton to construct an excellent continuous three-dimensional thermally conductive grid system. What makes it noteworthy is that the presence of MXene nanosheets substantially improves the thermal conductivity (0.66 W/mK) and photo-thermal conversion efficiency (θ = 96.4 %) of MXene-modified lemon peel-based porous carbon/polyethylene glycol composite phase change materials (PEG/LPC@M). It is noteworthy that PEG/LPC@M has remarkable thermal stability and still has high enthalpy after 100 cycles, which further proves the recyclability of PEG/LPC@M and PEG/LPC@M embodies great potential in the field of thermal management of electronic components. In conclusion, a novel multifunctional CPCM was prepared by a simple and green process method in this study, which provides a new idea for waste recycling and reuse, and also has a wide range of applications in thermal management of electronic devices.

Comparative analysis of thermal interface materials for effective thermal management of electronic devices

ABSTRACT Thermal interface materials (TIM) employed to electronic devices enhances interfacial heat dissipation and thermal contact conductance (TCC). This study compares the performance of TIMs (silicon grease, phase change material (PCM) and composite PCM) on a copper-aluminum contact pair under varying range of contact pressure (0.1 to 0.4 MPa) and interface temperature (35 to 65 °C). Composite PCM is prepared by mixing aluminum powder to PCM in different mass concentrations (4, 8 and 25 wt.%). Result shows that addition of aluminum powder > 8 wt.% to PCM reduces its heat storage capacity and delays heat transfer. Moreover, TCC with silicon grease outperforms PCM by 108%, while CPCM (8 wt. %) is 144% more efficient but costlier than others.

Preparation and characterization of eicosane-paraffin/expanded graphite/polyurethane as form-stable composite phase change materials with wide phase change temperature range

Phase change materials (PCMs) with wide phase change temperature range, high latent heat, good thermal conductivity, and shape stability are essential for applications such as solar energy conservation and thermal management of electronic devices. Form-stable composite PCMs (FSCPCMs) with a broad phase change temperature range of 18–65 °C were successfully developed by using a mixture of eicosane and paraffin mixture along with cross-linking polyurethane as PCM, expanded graphite as thermally conductive filler and supporting material. The prepared FSCPCMs demonstrated excellent thermal stability and thermal conductivity with a latent heat up to 142.5 J/g. In conclusion, the synthesized FSCPCMs exhibit promising potential for practical applications in thermal energy storage.

Bubble Interaction and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Microchannel Flow Boiling With Single and Multiple Cavities

Abstract Flow boiling in microchannels can effectively address the challenges of high power density heat dissipation in electronic devices. However, the intricate bubble dynamics during the two-phase flow in microchannel necessitates understanding the characteristics of complex bubble hydrodynamics. In this study, we perform 2D numerical simulations of flow boiling using the Cahn-Hilliard phase-field method for a 200-µm width microchannel with single and multiple cavities in COMSOL Multiphysics (V5.3). The numerical model successfully captures bubble dynamics, encompassing vapor embryo generation, bubble growth, departure, coalescence, sliding, and stable vapor plug formation. The heat transfer mechanism inside the microchannel is dominated by bubble nucleation and thin-film evaporation. Elevated wall superheats in a single nucleation cavity, and increased mass flux facilitates higher bubble departure frequency and heat transfer performance. Temporal pressure fluctuations are observed inside microchannels in multiple cavities due to bubble coalescence, departure, and subsequent nucleation. Increasing the nucleating cavities from 2 to 5 within the microchannel while maintaining consistent cavity spacing of 100 µm has resulted in nearly 32% enhancement in heat transfer performance. This study offers valuable findings that can help improve the thermal management of electronic devices.

Highly thermally conductive composite films by the rational assembly of aramid nanofibers with low-dimensional nanofillers

Highly efficient thermal management of electronic devices has grown in significance with the burgeoning of semiconductor technology and 5th generation communication. It is urgently desired to rationally construct highly thermally conductive composite films for enhancing the performance, service life and operation reliability of electronic equipment. Aramid nanofibers (ANFs), as one of the most promising building blocks to fabricate high-performance and multifunctional composite films, have attracted wide attention of researchers over the past few years due to its impressive mechanical performances, excellent electric insulation, and outstanding thermal stability. Especially, the rational assembly of ANFs with low-dimensional thermally conductive nanofillers exhibits significant opportunity for developing highly thermally conductive flexible composite films. However, there is no specialized review to systematically summarize the research advances and prospective challenges of this area until now. Herein, the preparation strategies, structure and properties, as well as the potential applications of various ANFs-based thermally conductive composite films with different low-dimensional nanofillers are highlighted. Finally, possible challenges and opportunities for ANFs-based thermally conductive composite films are envisioned. This brief review delivers the readers an in-depth understanding of the thermal conduction performances of ANFs-based composite films, which may give meaningful enlightenment for designing advanced thermal management materials and ANFs-based functional composites.

Enhancement of thermal conductivity and insulation of silicone thermal interface material through surface modification and synergistic effects of nanofillers for thermal management of electronic devices

Thermal interface materials (TIMs) play an irreplaceable role in highly integrated microelectronic devices. In this work, the addition of acidified carbon nanotubes modified by 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (KH550) had an effective enhancement to the thermal conductivity, thermal stability, and electrical insulation performance of silicone grease. On this basis, multi-filled silicone grease composites with better thermal conductivity and electrical insulation were prepared by introducing zinc oxide (ZnO) and Graphene nanoflakes (GNFs). The thermal conductivity of silicone grease achieved 1.438 W m−1 K−1, while the volume resistivity still exceeded 1013 Ω·cm. Additionally, the study explored the impact of varying filler parameters, temperature, and contact pressure on the interface thermal contact resistance of silicone grease. The best performance silicone grease applied to the cooling of the high-power LED exhibited excellent heat dissipation. This work presented a reference for the design and development of low cost, high performance TIMs.

Optimization of heat dissipation in novel design wavy channel heat sinks for better performance

This research presents a novel design in wavy channel heat sinks, crucial for the thermal management of electronic devices. The design features secondary branches with progressively decreasing spacing and a reduced channel height, enhancing flow mixing and uniform temperature distribution. The novelty of this research lies in the integration of a wavy channel, an innovative secondary branch pattern, lowered channel height, and optimized branch angles and widths. The study examines the impact of the design parameters across flow rates (0.004–0.014 kg/s) under a constant heat flux of 5.17 W/cm2. Key findings reveal that a 90-degree branch angle with a 1 mm width achieves a 5.27% temperature reduction compared to the basic wavy channel heat sinks, reducing the surface temperature by 1.4 °C over 45-degree configurations. Additionally, 45-degree and 90-degree configurations with a 1.5 mm width show pressure drop increases of 12.13% and 20.60%, respectively. Using factorial designs and response optimization, the study identifies an optimal configuration at a 90-degree angle and 2 mm width for a flow rate of 0.008 kg/s, balancing heat transfer enhancement, and hydraulic performance. This design marks a significant advancement in efficient and effective cooling technologies for electronic devices.

Anisotropy Reversal of Thermal Conductivity in Silicon Nanowire Networks Driven by Quasi-Ballistic Phonon Transport.

Nanostructured semiconductors promise functional thermal management for microelectronics and thermoelectrics through a rich design capability. However, experimental studies on anisotropic in-plane thermal conduction remain limited, despite the demand for directional heat dissipation. Here, inspired by an oriental wave pattern, a periodic network of bent wires, we investigate anisotropic in-plane thermal conduction in nanoscale silicon phononic crystals with the thermally dead volume. We observed the anisotropy reversal of the material thermal conductivity from 1.2 at 300 K to 0.8 at 4 K, with the reversal temperature of 80 K mediated by the transition from a diffusive to a quasi-ballistic regime. Our Monte Carlo simulations revealed that the backflow of the directional phonons induces the anisotropy reversal, showing that the quasi-ballistic phonon transport introduces preferential thermal conduction channels with anomalous temperature dependence. Accordingly, the anisotropy of the effective thermal conductivity varied from 2.7 to 5.0 in the range of 4-300 K, indicating an anisotropic heat manipulation capability. Our findings demonstrate that the design of nanowire networks enables the directional thermal management of electronic devices.

A polyurethane solid–solid phase change material for flexible use in thermal management

Phase change materials (PCMs) have received great attention in thermal management of electronic devices due to their high energy storage density and no need for additional energy supply. Yet the leakage problem after phase change limits their application greatly. In this paper, the block copolymerization was used to prepare a novel solid–solid phase change material (SSPCM) with a melting enthalpy of 90.26 J/g, starting pyrolysis at a temperature of more than 300 °C, and its physicochemical and thermal properties remained basically unchanged after 100 heating/cooling cycles. Notably, this SSPCM has excellent shape stability and can be pressed into phase change film with flexibility, thermally induced self-healing capability and recyclability. Finally, we innovatively combined this SSPCM, copper foam (CF), and polyimide tape (PI) to obtain a composite phase change material (CPCM) with both high thermal conductivity (1.1994 W/m·K) and high electrical insulating properties. Thermal management experiment shows that this CPCM has good thermal management performance and can significantly reduce the temperature rise rate of the simulated CPU. The SSPCM prepared in this study shows great potential for application in thermal management of portable electronic devices and flexible wearable electronic devices.

Effect of initial droplet position on coalescence-induced jumping on superhydrophobic surfaces with micropillar arrays

Coalescence-induced droplet jumping holds great potential for applications such as water harvesting, self-cleaning, and the thermal management of electronic devices. This study investigates the impact of the droplet's initial position on coalescence-induced jumping on superhydrophobic surfaces with micropillar arrays. Numerical simulations are conducted to examine the differences in droplet jumping at various initial positions with uniform and nonuniform micropillar distributions, and the effects of the droplet's initial position on its velocity and pressure distribution are analyzed. The findings indicate that altering the initial position produces an asymmetric distribution of the high-pressure region at the droplet's base and the pressure at the solid–liquid contact surface during the contraction of the liquid bridge. This asymmetry allows the droplet to jump away from the surface with both vertical and horizontal components of velocity, and to be transported in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, numerical simulations with various initial droplet positions and radii demonstrate that the direction of the horizontal jumping velocity is influenced by both the offset distance and the direction of the initial droplet position, and that the impact of the initial position decreases as the relative size of the droplet with respect to the micropillars increases. The droplet jumping velocity, direction, and horizontal transport distance can be controlled by adjusting the initial droplet position and size. This work reveals the mechanism of coalescence-induced droplet jumping on superhydrophobic surfaces with micropillar arrays and provides an important reference for practical applications.

Hydrophilicity regulation of carbon nanotubes as phase-change materials for thermal energy storage

Solid-liquid phase-change materials (PCMs) offer exciting prospects for thermal energy conservation, whose performance is greatly affected by the carrier materials. Using expanded vermiculite (EV) as frameworks, carbon nanotube arrays (CNTs) were grown between EV layers by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Then, the paraffin (PA) was loaded on the EV@CNTs composite by vacuum impregnation to prepare composite PCMs (PA/EV@CNTs), where the PA is organic carrier and the EV@CNTs acts as porous supports with high structural strength. The loading capacity of PA is further regulated by the hydrotropism of CNTs which effectively prevents the leakage of molten PA. The in-situ grown CNTs significantly improves the thermal conductivity of PCMs, improving the efficiency of energy conversion. With maximum PA loading capacity of 95 wt%, the thermal conductivity of PA/EV@CNTs-95% reaching 0.7176 W/mK, which was 1.73 and 2.96 times higher than that of pristine EV and PA. The phase change latent heat of PA/EV@CNTs-95% was measured to be 168.54 J/g, which is 1.48 times higher than that of PA/EV. After 100 cycles, the PA/EV@CNTs still maintains excellent thermal stability, and the enthalpy retention rate is 98.73%. The incorporation of high thermal conductivity amphipathicity CNTs in these PCMs makes them promising candidate for various applications such as energy-efficient buildings, thermal management in electronic devices, and self-cleaning materials.

Enhanced thermal conductivity and self‐healing property of PUDA/boron nitride micro‐sheets composites with a small number of graphene nano‐platelets

AbstractSelf‐healing polyurethane diacrylate (PUDA) composites with outstanding thermal conductivity were prepared with variable boron nitride (BN) and a small number of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) (1 wt%). The thermal conductivity of PUDA composites containing 1 wt% GNPs and 29 wt% BN reached 1.73 W/(m·K), showing 27.2% increment compared to PUDA composites only with 30 wt% BN. BN and GNPs mutually promoted the dispersion in the PUDA matrix, and the small number of GNPs was enough to bridge the gaps between BN, so that GNPs and BN exerted a synergistic enhancement effect on the thermal conductivity of PUDA composites with a synergistic efficiency of 1.343. The PUDA composites maintained the tensile strength of 8.21 MPa with good electrical insulation (4.55 × 109 Ω cm). The high degrees of recovery of mechanical strength (>90%) and thermal conductivities (>84%) were also realised by the healing effect of the reversible DA reaction. The PUDA composites with excellent comprehensive properties show broad application potential in the thermal management of electronic devices.

Numerical Investigation on Thermal Performance of Nanofluid-Assisted Wickless Heat Pipes for Electronic Thermal Management

Abstract Heat pipes are passive heat transfer systems and serve as an effective thermal management solution for electronic devices. The adaptability of heat pipes makes these suited for a wide application range, especially in the field of electronic thermal management. The current study highlights the transient numerical analysis of wickless heat pipes (thermosyphons) for the thermal management of electronic devices. The thermal performance of the thermosyphon is analyzed using both copper oxide (CuO) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanofluids with their concentrations at 1% and 5%. Deionized (DI) water is employed as a reference case for comparison. The study is carried out for variable heat inputs to the thermosyphon ranging 10–50 W for a time interval of 30 s. The idea is to analyze the effect of the evaporator heat input and the nanoparticles concentration on the temperature, heat transfer coefficient, thermal resistance, and effective thermal conductivity of the heat pipe. The results indicate that CuO nanoparticles at a 5% concentration lead to a maximum thermal resistance reduction of 4.31% at 50 W, while alumina nanoparticles at the same concentration lead to a more substantial reduction of 6.66% at the same heat load. The evaporator temperature varies between 377.52 K to 374.99 K using deionized water, and 376.95 K to 374.29 K using CuO nanofluid (at 1% concentration). The heat pipe's evaporator attains its highest convective heat transfer coefficient (437.91 W/m2K) by using alumina nanofluid with 1% nanoparticle concentration at 50 W. Moreover, the effective thermal conductivity of the heat pipe is enhanced by 5% and 7% for copper oxide and aluminum oxide nanofluids (with 5% concentration), respectively, at 50 W. Thus, the nanofluids play a significant role in improving the efficiency and reliability of electronic components. These findings demonstrate the potential of using the nanofluids in thermosyphons to enhance their thermal performance in electronic cooling applications.

A Comparative Numerical Analysis of Cold Plates for Thermal Management of Chips With Hotspots

Abstract Thermal and hydraulic performances of seven water-cooled minichannel cold plates with different internal structures are compared using numerical analysis. Recent increasing demands for high-performance computing have led to serious challenges in the thermal management of electronic devices. In addition to dangerous on-chip temperatures, heterogeneous integration and local regions of elevated temperatures (hotspots) lead to nonuniform chip-level temperature distributions. As a result, the lifespan and reliability of electronic devices are adversely impacted. Due to the limitation of the air-cooled heat sinks, several new methods, such as liquid-cooled microchannel cold plates are developed to remedy these challenges. The objective of this work is to provide a comparative numerical study of the effectiveness of different minichannel cold plate internal structures in the thermal management of a chip with a nonuniform power map and a hotspot. Cold plate thermal resistance, on-chip temperature uniformity, and pump power were the metrics used for this comparison. For four coolant inlet flow rates within the laminar regime, it is seen that increasing the inlet flowrate enhances the thermal resistance of all cold plate designs while creating less uniformity in chip-level temperature distribution relative to the conventional straight microchannels. Concentrating pin fins on the hotspot showed a 7.2% reduction in thermal resistance, despite increasing temperature nonuniformity by about 7.6%. However, it is observed that hotspot-focused pin fins are more effective in lowering the chip's maximum temperature. Obtaining lower chip-level nonuniformity may be possible by modifying the inlet and outlet conditions of the cold plates.

Investigation of nanocomposite PNIPAm‐g‐graphene with pre‐lower critical solution temperature rapid thermal response function for chip adaptive cooling: A molecular dynamics and computational fluid dynamics simulations

AbstractTemperature‐sensitive hydrogels have been widely used for rapid adaptive cooling in electronic device thermal management with promising applications. However, existing temperature‐sensitive hydrogels can only regulate the flow in the chip cooling system after the ambient temperature reaches their lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Before reaching LCST, effective rapid heat dissipation for electronic chips is not achievable. This study aims to develop a temperature‐sensitive hydrogel that can provide assisted adaptive cooling for electronic chips before reaching its LCST. This requires the hydrogel to have a thermal conductivity far surpassing existing hydrogel materials. Using the temperature‐sensitive hydrogel PNIPAm and graphene molecules as base materials, this research utilized molecular dynamics simulations to graft graphene molecules onto PNIPAm molecules in different ways, resulting in the temperature‐sensitive hydrogel material PNIPAm‐g‐graphene. Non‐equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) was employed to calculate the thermal conductivity of this material under different temperature conditions. The results indicate that the thermal conductivity of PNIPAm‐g‐graphene can reach up to 1.95474 W/m K (graphene grafted at CH3 functional group, temperature at 280 K). Compared to the thermal conductivity of PNIPAm under the same conditions (0.45 W/m K), the increase in thermal conductivity is significant, demonstrating excellent thermal conductivity compared to PNIPAm. Subsequently, this study analyzed the underlying mechanisms of different thermal conductivities in materials obtained by grafting graphene molecules at different points using the method of overlap in Phonon Density of States Curves (PDOS) from the perspective of interfacial thermal conduction. Finally, through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, this study investigates the chip's adaptive cooling performance with PNIPAm‐g‐graphene material. The results show that, compared to traditional temperature‐sensitive hydrogels, PNIPAm‐g‐graphene can achieve efficient adaptive cooling of chip hotspots before the cooling fluid temperature reaches its LCST value. This finding is significant for the field of chip cooling. The study proposes a new method for rapid, adaptive cooling of chip hotspots and explores its feasibility from the perspectives of molecular dynamics and CFD simulation. It holds importance in the thermal management of electronic devices and the rapid adaptive cooling of electronic chips.

Thermally Conductive and Electrically Insulating Polymer-Based Composites Heat Sinks Fabricated by Fusion Deposition Modeling.

This study explores the potential of novel boron nitride (BN) microplatelet composites with combined thermal conduction and electrical insulation properties. These composites are manufactured through Fusion Deposition Modeling (FDM), and their application for thermal management in electronic devices is demonstrated. The primary focus of this work is, therefore, the investigation of the thermoplastic composite properties to show the 3D printing of lightweight polymeric heat sinks with remarkable thermal performance. By comparing various microfillers, including BN and MgO particles, their effects on material properties and alignment within the polymer matrix during filament fabrication and FDM processing are analyzed. The characterization includes the evaluation of morphology, thermal conductivity, and mechanical and electrical properties. Particularly, a composite with 32 wt% of BN microplatelets shows an in-plane thermal conductivity of 1.97 W m-1 K-1, offering electrical insulation and excellent printability. To assess practical applications, lightweight pin fin heat sinks using these composites are designed and 3D printed. Their thermal performance is evaluated via thermography under different heating conditions. The findings are very promising for an efficient and cost-effective fabrication of thermal devices, which can be obtained through extrusion-based Additive Manufacturing (AM), such as FDM, and exploited as enhanced thermal management solutions in electronic devices.

Rapid Thermochromic and Highly Thermally Conductive Nanocomposite Based on Silicone Rubber for Temperature Visualization Thermal Management in Electronic Devices.

Effective heat dissipation and real-time temperature monitoring are crucial for ensuring the long-term stable operation of modern, high-performance electronic products. This study proposes a silicon rubber polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based nanocomposite with a rapid thermal response and high thermal conductivity. This nanocomposite enables both rapid heat dissipation and real-time temperature monitoring for high-performance electronic products. The reported material primarily consists of a thermally conductive layer (Al2O3/PDMS composites) and a reversible thermochromic layer (organic thermochromic material, graphene oxide, and PDMS nanocoating; OTM-GO/PDMS). The thermal conductivity of OTM-GO/Al2O3/PDMS nanocomposites reached 4.14 W m-1 K-1, reflecting an increase of 2200% relative to that of pure PDMS. When the operating temperature reached 35, 45, and 65 °C, the surface of OTM-GO/Al2O3/PDMS nanocomposites turned green, yellow, and red, respectively, and the thermal response time was only 30 s. The OTM-GO/Al2O3/PDMS nanocomposites also exhibited outstanding repeatability and maintained excellent color stability over 20 repeated applications.

Experimental study on the melting heat transfer characteristics of a phase change material under mechanical agitation

Phase change materials (PCMs) are extensively employed for the thermal management of electronic devices, but their low thermal conductivity often results in slow heat absorption and release in practical applications. Existing improvement measures primarily focus on enhancing heat conduction, while research from the perspective of convection is scarce. Therefore, an experimental study on the melting heat transfer characteristics of n-docosane under mechanical agitation (0–1600 RPM) was conducted at 4.7–34 kW/m2. Upon agitation, the heating wall temperature (Tw) rapidly decreases, while the PCM temperature, heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number significantly increase, and their variation amplitude is positively correlated with the rotation speed. This can be attributed to enhanced liquid PCM convection and accelerated solid PCM melting. At 8.5 kW/m2, the Tw at 1600 RPM is approximately 27 °C lower than that at 0 RPM, leading to a fourfold increase in the Nusselt number. Tw decreases with increasing rotation diameter, especially at lower rotation speeds. From 30 to 50 mm, the temperature decreases by approximately 13 and 10 °C at 800 and 1600 RPM, respectively. Tw changes slightly with increasing rotation height. Agitation can reduce the increase in Tw caused by a higher heat flux. Agitation can quadruple the upper limit of heat flux from 8.5 to 34 kW/m2 while maintaining consistent thermal control requirements. The power consumption of agitation increases as the rotation speed and diameter increase, peaking at 10.1 W. Moreover, after considering the minimum start-up time, Tw, and power consumption, the optimal configuration is determined: a rotation height of 10 mm and a rotation diameter of 40 mm for 1600 RPM and 50 mm for 800 RPM. These findings hold significant implications for PCM-based thermal management, particularly in terms of incorporating active convection enhancement.

Open package form-stable phase change microspheres with low thermal contact resistance for the thermal management of electronic devices

Thermal contact resistance (TCR) is a key factor that affects the rapid heat transfer process based on thermal interface materials (TIMs). Phase change TIMs have the property of thermally induced solid–liquid phase change, which is an advantage to improve the contact state and reduce TCR. However, the contradiction between form-stable and wettability must be solved during the application of phase change TIMs. In this work, a flexible, form-stable and low TCR phase change TIMs of graphene/acrylic polymer foamed microspheres/polyethylene glycol (G/APM/PEG) has been successfully prepared by “open package”. APM is light and the surface are covered with micropores, which can be adsorbed a large amount of liquid phase PEG to prevent leakage and retain good wettability. Furthermore, the thermal properties of G/APM/PEG were systematically studied. The TCR results between “open package” method and “closed package” method were compared. The critical thickness value in all measure conditions were calculated. The thermal conductivity of G/APM/PEG filled with graphene (4 wt%) is 230% higher than that of APM/PEG. The TCR of G/APM/PEG is 0.5～0.9 K∙cm2/W at 65 °C (40 Psi), which is far lower than that of TIMs from “closed package” (3.5～5.3 K∙cm2/W). This is because the G/APM/PEG from “open package” exposes part of the surface of PEG to air, greatly improving the contact state. In addition, the maximum critical thickness is about 0.3 mm for all G/APM/PEG under different measure conditions. It confirms that the TCR is relatively small in all measure conditions and the thermal conductivity resistance is dominant.