Biomanufacturing of Hierarchical Biocomposites for High-Performance Thermal Interface Materials

This government RFP, DPA26TZ03-DV002, seeks Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals for developing flexible, polymer-matrix thermal interface materials (TIMs). The objective is to create sustainable, low-cost TIMs with tunable thermal and mechanical properties for high-performance electronics and power applications, specifically addressing the thermal management challenges in high-density microelectronics, battery packs for drones, and electric vehicles. The project emphasizes biomanufactured, biocomposite filler-type TIMs as a superior, cost-effective alternative to traditional TIMs and cutting-edge fillers.DP2 requires demonstrating scalable biomanufacturing, achieving thermal conductivity exceeding 23 W/m-K, modeling processing-structure-property relationships, and ensuring tunable mechanical properties with stable thermal conductivity after 1000 bending cycles. TIMs must show sufficient adhesion and modulus comparable to elastomers. Demonstrations will occur in operational environments like passively-cooled lithium-ion battery packs or high-TDP CPUs/GPUs, aiming for statistically significant temperature reductions compared to standard TIMs.Deliverables include a final prototype TIM formulation, a comprehensive testing report, a technology transfer plan, manufacturing and scaling strategy, and a technoeconomic analysis. Military applications include drones, soldier-worn power systems, and ground vehicle electronics, while commercial uses span delivery drones, EV battery packs, data center GPUs/CPUs, and LED lighting.