Process for providing increased conductivity to a material

Abstract

The invention presented relates to a process for providing increased electrical and/or thermal conductivity to a material, and to the materials prepared by the process. More particularly, the invention relates to a process involving applying particles of expanded graphite to a substrate or material in order to increase its conductivity. The particles of expanded graphite can be applied to the substrate or material through coating of the substrate with a composition comprising the expanded graphite particles, or by incorporating particles of expanded graphite into the substrate or material itself.

What is claimed is  
     
         1 . A process for providing increased electrical conductivity to a substrate, comprising coating the substrate with a composition which comprises particles of expanded graphite.  
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  which farther comprises forming the particles of expanded graphite into a powder prior to coating the composition on the substrate.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2  wherein the composition further comprises a carrier for the powdered particles of expandable graphite, the carrier comprising a material capable of forming an adherent coating on the substrate.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3  wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of paints, resins, adhesives or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4  wherein the substrate comprises a plastic material.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the substrate comprises a component part for a motor vehicle.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6  which further comprises thereafter electrostatically painting the coated substrate.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 4  wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board which comprises through holes therethrough.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the composition is coated on the surfaces of at least one of the through holes of the printed circuit board.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9  which further comprises electrolytically depositing copper on the surfaces of at least one of the through holes of the printed circuit board after coating of the composition on the surface of surfaces of the at least one through hole.  
     
     
         11 . A process for providing increased conductivity to a material, comprising incorporating expanded graphite into the material.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11  which farther comprises forming the expanded graphite into a powder prior to incorporating the expanded graphite into the material.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the material comprises a plastic material, a grease, an oil or an adhesive composition.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the material comprises a component part for a motor vehicle.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14  which further comprises thereafter electrostatically painting the material.  
     
     
         16 . An electrically conductive material which comprises a substrate having thereon a coating comprising particles of expanded graphite.  
     
     
         17 . The material of  claim 16  wherein the particles of expanded graphite are in the form of a powder.  
     
     
         18 . The material of  claim 17  which further comprises a carrier for the powdered particles of expandable graphite, the carrier comprising a material forming an adherent coating on the substrate.  
     
     
         19 . The material of  claim 18  wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of paints, resins, adhesives or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The material of  claim 19  wherein the substrate comprises a plastic material.  
     
     
         21 . The material of  claim 20  wherein the substrate comprises a component part for a motor vehicle.  
     
     
         22 . The material of  claim 18  which comprises a printed circuit board having through holes, the composition coated on the surface of at least one of the through holes.  
     
     
         23 . A conductive material, comprising a material having particles of expanded graphite incorporated therein.  
     
     
         24 . The material of  claim 23  wherein the particles of expanded graphite are in the form of a powder.  
     
     
         25 . The material of  claim 24  wherein the material comprises a plastic material, a grease, an oil or an adhesive composition.  
     
     
         26 . The material of  claim 25  wherein the material comprises a component part for a motor vehicle.