Abstract
This study aims to develop the MIM process for manufacturing the micro heat sinks made of copper / diamond composites with high thermal conductivity. Diamond particles were added into the feedstock composed of copper powder and polyathetal-based binder. The compound feedstock was molded into sacrificial plastic mold (SP-mold), and the green compacts with micro-pillars were obtained and removed the SP-mold by solvent extraction. Nano-sized copper powder was used for drastically decreasing the sintering temperature to prevent from occurring thermal damages on the surfaces of diamond particles. The sintered parts were also prepared by spark plasma sintering in contrast with furnace sintering, and they were evaluated by density and thermal conductivity measurements. The experimental results showed that using nanopowder could obtain a sufficient high sintered density under low sintering temperature.
