{"id":2045,"date":"2026-06-15T13:28:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T17:28:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/mse\/?p=2045"},"modified":"2026-06-15T13:28:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T17:28:33","slug":"xu-develops-novel-process-for-creating-thermal-interface-materials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/mse\/xu-develops-novel-process-for-creating-thermal-interface-materials\/","title":{"rendered":"Xu Develops Novel Process for Creating Thermal Interface Materials"},"content":{"rendered":"

Next-generation electronic devices like newer computers and other high-power devices require more energy to run. When they are working hard, the intense heat they generate can limit their performance and reliability. That\u2019s why scientists are trying to find better and more sustainable materials to help cool devices down.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Weinan Xu, an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, has developed a novel concept for the fabrication and processing of thermal interface materials based on synergistic microbial biosynthesis, which is a way of making useful materials with the help of microbes like bacteria.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thermal interface materials are specialized substances inserted between the electronic and cooling devices to eliminate tiny air pockets so heat can move out of the device faster. By changing how the bacteria are grown and how the material is processed, the material\u2019s ability to move heat, known as thermal conductivity, can be adjusted.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Xu\u2019s new approach displayed thermal conductivity that is five to 10 times better than conventional <\/span>therma<\/span>l interface materials and the process is more environmentally friendly and sustainable. <\/span>Xu\u2019s research was published in the May 2026 edition of the journal Matter<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur biocomposite materials can be made very uniquely by bacteria. If you give certain types of bacteria sugars as a carbon source and metal ions as a metal precursor, they can make inorganic and organic materials for you,\u201d Xu said. \u201cThat\u2019s one major advantage of our material. It can be created by bacteria at room temperature in an aqueous solution, which is in dramatic contrast with conventional chemical methods of material processing, where you need harsh chemicals and high temperature.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Xu\u2019s nearly three-year project was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a research and development agency of the US Department of Defense, through a Young Faculty Award.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDARPA is very interested in creating or developing a next generation of thermal interface materials, because they are so critical for electronics and energy storage devices for military equipment,\u201d Xu said. \u201cThey want to develop a very high-performance interface material, and they want this material to be made in an environmental-friendly way. That\u2019s basically what we\u2019ve achieved through this research.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Widespread application\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Conventional thermal interface materials are mostly made with artificially-created mixtures and have limitations in their physical properties and sustainability.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Xu\u2019s research integrating microbial biosynthesis and advanced manufacturing provides a new approach to sustainable and intelligent manufacturing, resulting in better performance, reliability, and longevity.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The impact of Xu\u2019s research has the potential to spread beyond making materials for thermal management.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are actually working on using a related concept for rare earth element recovery, which is an important topic right now,\u201d Xu said. \u201cFor biomedical applications, many of the structures you generate can be biocompatible for tissue engineering application as well.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The next step for Xu and his group is to reduce the cost and increase the production rate of the novel bacterial-based development process to make it more readily available.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe method we are using right now typically takes a few days or few weeks to generate the final material,\u201d Xu said. \u201cWe are in conversations with industry partners to explore the commercialization of such material for thermal management, electronics, and batteries, such as in EVs, in drones, etc. There is a lot of potential to scale this up.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Contact<\/h2>\n

Rhiannon Potkey (rpotkey@utk.edu<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Next-generation electronic devices like newer computers and other high-power devices require more energy to run. 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