Abstract: Described are laminate materials with syntactic cores sandwiched between outer layers. These laminates, which may be very thin, are ideally suited to use in high-stress applications, such as the casings for consumer electronics. The layered structure of an outer layer with a core provides improved strength and durability compared to a single layer material. The addition of a filler, such as microspheres, to the core material allows for adjusting the density, strength, and other material properties of the composite laminate to better suit a particular application.

Abstract: An integrated circuit heat transfer element (6,30) is made by selecting thermally conductive fibers having aspect ratios of length to diameter of more than 1, selecting a resin and combining the fibers and the resin to create a formable resin/fiber compound. The resin/fiber compound is formed into a composite material in part by applying pressure to the formable resin/fiber compound, which aligns the fibers, and when cured creates a thermally anisotropic composite material to maximize heat conduction along the aligned fibers. The thermally anisotropic composite material has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of less than about 10.times.10.sup.-6 cm/cm/.degree. C. The composite material has a thermal conductivity in the direction of the carbon fibers of at least 50 W/m.degree. K. The IC device is preferably secured to the heat transfer element using a thermally conductive adhesive.

Abstract: An integrated circuit heat transfer element (6,30) is made by selecting thermally conductive fibers having aspect ratios of length to diameter of more than 1, selecting a resin and combining the fibers and the resin to create a formable resin/fiber compound. The resin/fiber compound is formed into a composite material in part by applying pressure to the formable resin/fiber compound, which aligns the fibers, and when cured creates a thermally anisotropic composite material to maximize heat conduction along the aligned fibers. The thermally anisotropic composite material has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of less than about 10.times.10.sup.-6 cm/cm/.degree. C. The composite material has a thermal conductivity in the direction of the carbon fibers of at least 50 W/m.degree. K. The IC device is preferably secured to the heat transfer element using a thermally conductive adhesive.