14 DAY TRIAL // Nec has announced that it has developed a new type of bioplastic, composed out of plant-based material and carbon fiber, that will realize a higher heat conductivity than stainless steel. The new material is expected to make electronic products more environmentally sound as well as solve all the regular heat release issues.
It would easily release the heat generated from electronic parts with high temperatures through the whole housing surfaces while at the same time slowing up an increase in temperature of the housing neat parts.
In the past period of time, small electronic devices including mobile phones have suffered heat-release issues mainly due to an increase in the amount of heat that is generated from electronic parts.
While heat-release devices such as fans or sheets would be quite difficult to incorporate in such devices that are becoming slimmer and smaller, manufacturers had yet to find a solution to this issue and others. An alternative to plastic, for improving heat release is the use of heat-conductive metals. However, heat conductivities in the thickness direction of metal boards are too high, in some cases causing partial or rapid increase in temperatures of housing near the electronic parts that have high temperatures.
Aiming to solve those bioplastic issues, Nec has succeeded in developing kenaf fiber, a reinforced PLA composite that realizes high heat resistance and strength. The composite is already being used in a mobile phone that is commercialized by NEC. Moreover, NEC has also found a way to ad flame retardancy and shape memory to PLA. The company will continue to develop these technologies towards realization of mass production of the bioplastic composite by the end of March 2009. After that, Nec plans to start using the composite in the housing of electronic products and in seeking new applications.