1. State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University2. Science and Technology on Monolithic Integrated Circuits and Modules Laboratory, Nanjing Electronic Devices Institute3. Nanjing Electronic Devices Institute
The rapid development of modern electronics towards high power density, miniaturization and high integration raises more urgent requirement on exploring advanced thermal management materials and technologies. Based on vapor-liquid phase change heat transfer, flexible heat pipe technology is an effective tool for thermal management. Conventional rigid heat pipes, however, cannot meet the thermal management needs for microelectronics with complex structure and small space. Thus, the development of flexible heat pipe technology, which has the potential to overcome the shortcomings of rigid heat pipes, carries important technological significance. This paper presents a systematic review of the recent progress in fundamental theory, structure design, materials processing and device fabrication technologies of flexible heat pipes, and introduces their applications in aerospace and electronic products. Based on the development history and current status, we provide an outlook on the research and development of flexible heat pipes in the future.