Composite material, electrical circuit or electric module

Abstract

The invention relates to a novel composite material, especially for applications in the field of electrical engineering. Said novel material has a thermal coefficient of expansion that is smaller than 12×10 −6 K −1 in at least two axes of a three-dimensional system that are perpendicular in relation to each other.

1 . A composite material or composite raw material, comprising: 
 a matrix of at least one metal or metal alloy, at least one ceramic and/or one glass and nanofibers with a thickness between approximately 1.3 nm to 300 nm, with a length/thickness ratio for the most part greater 10.    
   
   
       2 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein if the composite material is embodied as a fiber-reinforced metal-ceramic-glass composite material as a substrate for electric applications for thermal management, consisting of a carrier substrate based on ceramic or glass materials and of at least one fiber-reinforced metal layer applied on one side, the fibers in the metal layer consist of carbon nanotubes, which have a thickness of 1.3 to 300 nm and a length/thickness ratio of greater 10, and the content of nanofibers in the metal matrix is between 10 and 70 percent by volume.  
   
   
       3 . A composite material according to  claim 2 , wherein the carrier substrate contains nanofibers made of boron nitride and/or tungsten carbide.  
   
   
       4 . A composite material according to  claim 1  wherein the thermal expansion coefficient of the material in at least two perpendicular spatial axes is less than 12×10 −6 K −1 , and/or the thermal conductivity of the composite material at least in a partial area is greater than that of the metal or metal alloy.  
   
   
       5 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductivity of the composite material at least in a partial area is greater than that of copper.  
   
   
       6 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers are distributed isotropically or nearly isotropically in their orientation at least in the at least two spatial axes.  
   
   
       7 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the nanofibers are nanotubes.  
   
   
       8 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers are made of an electrically conductive material.  
   
   
       9 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers are made of carbon and/or boron nitride and/or tungsten carbide.  
   
   
       10 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic is made of aluminum nitride and/or aluminum oxide and/or silicon nitride.  
   
   
       11 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal is copper or a copper alloy.  
   
   
       12 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal is aluminum or an aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       13 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers are provided in a matrix formed by the at least one metal or the at least one metal alloy.  
   
   
       14 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers are provided in the ceramic and/or in the glass.  
   
   
       15 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein ceramic particles and nanofibers are provided in the matrix formed by the at least one metal or the at least one metal alloy.  
   
   
       16 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the content of the nanofibers in the matrix of the at least one metal or metal alloy is approximately 10-70 percent by volume.  
   
   
       17 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , further comprising a perform made of the nanofibers, into which the at least one metal or metal alloy is applied through melt infiltration.  
   
   
       18 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the matrix of the at least one metal or the at least one metal alloy with the nanofibers is produced using an HIP process.  
   
   
       19 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the matrix of the at least one metal or the at least one metal alloy and the nanofibers is produced through electrolytic and/or chemical precipitation of the metal or of the metal alloy on the nanofibers or a perform made of the nanofibers.  
   
   
       20 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , wherein the matrix of the at least one metal or the at least one metal alloy and the nanofibers is produced through electrolytic and/or chemical precipitation of the metal or of the metal alloy and the nanofibers on a perform made of metal or a metal alloy or of ceramic.  
   
   
       21 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , further comprising its embodiment as a laminate with at least two interconnected material sections or layers forming said laminate.  
   
   
       22 . A composite material according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one material section is made of ceramic, and at least one additional material section is made of the at least one metal or the at least one metal alloy.  
   
   
       23 . A composite material according to  claim 22 , wherein the at least one material section made of ceramic contains the nanofibers.  
   
   
       24 . A composite material according to  claim 22 , wherein the at least one material section made of the at least one metal or of the at least one metal alloy contains the nanofibers.  
   
   
       25 . A composite material according to  claim 22 , wherein the material sections are bonded together by soldering, for example by the active soldering process.  
   
   
       26 . A composite material according to  claim 22 , wherein the material sections are bonded together by direct bonding, for example by the DCB process.  
   
   
       27 . A composite material according to  claim 22 , wherein the material sections are bonded together by adhesive bonding.  
   
   
       28 . A composite material according to  claim 22 , wherein the material section made of the at least one metal or of the at least one metal alloy comprises several elements or several layers.  
   
   
       29 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , further comprising its embodiment as a ceramic-metal substrate or as a printed circuit board with at least one insulating layer formed by the ceramic and with at least one metallization or metal layer formed by the metal or metal alloy on at least one surface of the ceramic layer, wherein the metal or the metal alloy and/or the ceramic contains the nanofibers.  
   
   
       30 . A composite material according to  claim 29 , wherein the metallization forms strip conductors and/or contact surfaces and/or fastening surfaces on at least one surface of the ceramic layer.  
   
   
       31 . A composite material according to  claim 30 , wherein the metal layer is structured in order to form the strip conductors and/or contact surfaces and/or fastening surfaces.  
   
   
       32 . A composite material according to  claim 29 , wherein the at least one metallization or metal layer is connected with an additional element made of metal or of the metal alloy, and that the additional element contains the nanofibers.  
   
   
       33 . A composite material according to  claim 1 , further comprising its embodiment as a component for thermal dissipation, as a heat sink or as a housing or as part of a housing.  
   
   
       34 . Electric circuit or electric module with at least one substrate and with at least one electric component, wherein the substrate consists at least partially of a composite material according to one of the foregoing claims.