One of the hallmarks of technology innovation is sometimes a surprising path taken as development occurs. A good idea spurs research in multiple directions, and it can be a challenge to decide which path and which collaborators to pursue. A great example of innovation in action is GrafTech International Holdings, Inc. The company has collaborated with the University of Akron and the Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices (CMPND) in Columbus as part of their Research Commercialization Program grant titled, "Commercialization of Functional Polyimide Films and Nanocomposites" for the past three years.
GrafTech has pioneered the use of graphite in heat spreaders for consumer electronics applications, such as cell phones, laptop computers, and high definition televisions. With this funding through the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD), GrafTech is seeking to expand the markets for graphite heat spreaders. “Our goal in this project was to develop and commercialize a graphite heat spreader with enhanced flexibility,” says Helen Mayer, Research Associate and Project Manager, Nanocomposites, at GrafTech. “Our first task was to develop a test method for repeated flexibility, and the University of Akron provided us with a number of resources for our evaluation. In the end, we decided to do the testing in-house and purchased a DeMattia repeated flexibility tester partially paid for with grant funds.” At present, these enhanced flexibility graphite heat spreaders are being targeted for three significant markets.
“The most developed of these markets is graphite heat spreaders for the radiant floor heating segment,” says Mayer. This product, sold under the name GRAFIHXTM, is finding utility in both above and below flooring radiant floor systems with a better heat spreading capability and much easier installation than aluminum, the incumbent heat spreading technology. GRAFIHX has been honored with the 2009 R&D 100 Award for one of the 100 most revolutionary technologies introduced into the market in 2009.
The consumer electronics industry needs even thinner and more thermally conductive material to enable next generation devices. With GrafTech’s Ohio Third Frontier's Research Commercial Program (RCP) award in 2007, the company brought their evolving new material, SS1500, to completion, anticipating its launch in late 2009. This new material, many times more thermally conductive than copper, will position GrafTech to compete more effectively in today's thinner and more powerful phones and other portable electronic devices
Going a slightly different direction with its technologies, GrafTech’s flexible displays needed flexible thermal management solutions. By exercising some of its networking capability, CMPND introduced GrafTech to Kent Displays, a manufacturer of cholesteric liquid crystal displays. GrafTech, which had developed a first generation heat spreader solution, then collaborated with Kent Displays to develop heat spreaders that will provide thermal management to display products with increased functionality.
“GrafTech has recently started to focus on heat spreading solutions for LED lighting,” says Mayer, “like radiant flooring and flexible displays, LED lighting will benefit from the lightweight, flexible solutions that these newly developed heat spreaders can provide.” Prototype thermal management solutions for LED street light applications have been demonstrated.
GrafTech has received funding from the Ohio Third Frontier for several projects. The Ohio Third Frontier is an unprecedented and bipartisan commitment to create technology-based products, companies, industries and jobs. Since its inception, the program has created or commercialized more than 500 companies and has attracted $3.5 billion in private investment to Ohio, a 9:1 return on investment. The State of Ohio also helped GrafTech move its global headquarters to Parma, Ohio in 2006 with the Job Creation Tax Credit.
Finally, their RCP funding has promoted stronger partnerships across the state, such as with Case Western Reserve University and University of Akron. GrafTech was able to accommodate many interns from area universities, including as much as 20 percent of the global headquarters and R&D center (in Parma) staff in summer. GrafTech has also been able to develop a successful co-op program, mostly populated thus far with Case Western Reserve University students, primarily in chemical engineering.
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GrafTech International Ltd. is a world leader in graphite material science with more than 120 years of experience in the carbon and graphite industry. Its products are used in a variety of applications in a diverse array of industries: metal production, electronics, chemicals, aerospace and transportation, among others. Its history goes back to supplying arc carbons to the City of Cleveland, Ohio in the 1870s, to allow the city to become the first in the world with electric powered street lamps. GrafTech has continued to innovate ever since, winning six R&D 100 Awards in the last seven years for revolutionary technologies newly introduced to the market.
The Center for Multifunctional Polymeric Nanomaterials and Devices (CMPND) is a research and commercialization partnership in polymer nanotechnology. This multi-institutional, interdisciplinary organization, centered at The Ohio State University, partners with the University of Dayton, the University of Akron, the University of Toledo, Kent State University, and Wright State University. For more information, cmpnd.org
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Links
GrafTech http://www.graftech.com/
Ohio Department of Development
Univ Akron Polymer Sci http://www2.uakron.edu/cpspe/
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