Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a variety of thermally conductive materials for use in semiconductor devices or other applications. In some cases, the materials may include aligned fibers such as carbon fibers, e.g., defining a substrate, and a metal such as solder. In some cases, the metal may be present within a transition metal rich solder alloy, a conductive medium such as a conductive ink, a thermal chemical vapor deposited solder, an oxide coated liquid metal, an oxide coated liquid metal transition metal rich solder alloy, etc. The metal may have a relatively low melting temperature in certain embodiments. The metal may be interspersed or infiltrated between the plurality of discontinuous fibers, and/or surround at least some of the fibers. In some cases, the metal may react with the carbon fibers to form metal carbides and/or diffuse into the carbon fibers, which may facilitate contact between the metal and the carbon fibers.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to fiber-reinforced composites, including carbon-fiber composites. These materials are useful in load-bearing components for mechanical systems, and other applications. Surprisingly, the carbon fibers can be aligned using an applied magnetic field applied directly to the carbon fibers, rather than to magnetic materials that are used to indirectly align the carbon fibers. For example, the carbon fibers may exhibit an anisotropic diamagnetic response in response to a magnetic field, which can be used to align the fibers. In some cases, the carbon fibers may be relatively pure, and/or have a relatively high modulus, which may result in diamagnetic properties. Other embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods for making or using such composites, kits involving such composites, or the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for composites, including carbon fiber-metal composites. In some cases, the composites may be formed from one, two, or more layers of metals or other substrates, sandwiching a plurality of aligned fibers. The fibers may be substantially aligned, and may be present at relatively high densities within the composite. The composites may be prepared, in some aspects, by dispersing fibers by neutralizing the electrostatic interactions between the fibers, for example using aqueous liquids containing the fibers that are able to neutralize the electrostatic interactions that typically occur between the fibers. In some cases, the fibers may be aligned using techniques such as shear flow and/or magnetism. Other aspects are generally directed to methods of using such composites, kits including such composites, or the like.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to fiber-reinforced composites, including carbon-fiber composites. These materials are useful in load-bearing components for mechanical systems, and other applications. Surprisingly, the carbon fibers can be aligned using an applied magnetic field applied directly to the carbon fibers, rather than to magnetic materials that are used to indirectly align the carbon fibers. For example, the carbon fibers may exhibit an anisotropic diamagnetic response in response to a magnetic field, which can be used to align the fibers. In some cases, the carbon fibers may be relatively pure, and/or have a relatively high modulus, which may result in diamagnetic properties. Other embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods for making or using such composites, kits involving such composites, or the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for composites, including short-fiber films and other composites. In certain aspects, composites comprising a plurality of aligned fibers are provided. The fibers may be substantially aligned, and may be present at relatively high densities within the composite. For example, the composite may include substantially aligned carbon fibers embedded within a thermoplastic substrate. The composites may be prepared, in some aspects, by dispersing fibers by neutralizing the electrostatic interactions between the fibers, for example using aqueous liquids containing the fibers that are able to neutralize the electrostatic interactions that typically occur between the fibers. The liquids may be applied to a substrate, and the fibers may be aligned using techniques such as shear flow and/or magnetism. Other aspects are generally directed to methods of using such composites, kits including such composites, or the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to thermally conductive aligned materials for a variety of purposes, including as thermal interface materials for semiconductor devices or other applications. Certain aspects are directed to compositions comprising discontinuous fibers that may be substantially aligned, e.g., defining a substrate. The composition may also include a polymer or a phase change material in contact with at least some of the discontinuous fibers. The discontinuous fibers may include carbon fibers in some cases. In some cases, the discontinuous fibers are aligned so as to facilitate heat transfer, e.g., along the direction that the fibers are aligned. Other aspects are generally directed to devices using such compositions, methods of making such compositions, kits including such compositions, or the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for composites, including short-fiber films and other composites. In certain aspects, composites comprising a plurality of aligned fibers are provided. The fibers may be substantially aligned, and may be present at relatively high densities within the composite. For example, the composite may include substantially aligned carbon fibers embedded within a thermoplastic substrate. The composites may be prepared, in some aspects, by dispersing fibers by neutralizing the electrostatic interactions between the fibers, for example using aqueous liquids containing the fibers that are able to neutralize the electrostatic interactions that typically occur between the fibers. The liquids may be applied to a substrate, and the fibers may be aligned using techniques such as shear flow and/or magnetism. Other aspects are generally directed to methods of using such composites, kits including such composites, or the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for composites, including short-fiber films and other composites. In certain aspects, composites comprising a plurality of aligned fibers are provided. The fibers may be substantially aligned, and may be present at relatively high densities within the composite. For example, the composite may include substantially aligned carbon fibers embedded within a thermoplastic substrate. The composites may be prepared, in some aspects, by dispersing fibers by neutralizing the electrostatic interactions between the fibers, for example using aqueous liquids containing the fibers that are able to neutralize the electrostatic interactions that typically occur between the fibers. The liquids may be applied to a substrate, and the fibers may be aligned using techniques such as shear flow and/or magnetism. Other aspects are generally directed to methods of using such composites, kits including such composites, or the like.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to fiber-reinforced composites, including carbon-fiber composites. These materials are useful in load-bearing components for mechanical systems, and other applications. Surprisingly, the carbon fibers can be aligned using an applied magnetic field applied directly to the carbon fibers, rather than to magnetic materials that are used to indirectly align the carbon fibers. For example, the carbon fibers may exhibit an anisotropic diamagnetic response in response to a magnetic field, which can be used to align the fibers. In some cases, the carbon fibers may be relatively pure, and/or have a relatively high modulus, which may result in diamagnetic properties. Other embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods for making or using such composites, kits involving such composites, or the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for composites, including carbon fiber-metal composites. In some cases, the composites may be formed from one, two, or more layers of metals or other substrates, sandwiching a plurality of aligned fibers. The fibers may be substantially aligned, and may be present at relatively high densities within the composite. The composites may be prepared, in some aspects, by dispersing fibers by neutralizing the electrostatic interactions between the fibers, for example using aqueous liquids containing the fibers that are able to neutralize the electrostatic interactions that typically occur between the fibers. In some cases, the fibers may be aligned using techniques such as shear flow and/or magnetism. Other aspects are generally directed to methods of using such composites, kits including such composites, or the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for composites, including short-fiber films and other composites. In certain aspects, composites comprising a plurality of aligned fibers are provided. The fibers may be substantially aligned, and may be present at relatively high densities within the composite. For example, the composite may include substantially aligned carbon fibers embedded within a thermoplastic substrate. The composites may be prepared, in some aspects, by dispersing fibers by neutralizing the electrostatic interactions between the fibers, for example using aqueous liquids containing the fibers that are able to neutralize the electrostatic interactions that typically occur between the fibers. The liquids may be applied to a substrate, and the fibers may be aligned using techniques such as shear flow and/or magnetism. Other aspects are generally directed to methods of using such composites, kits including such composites, or the like.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are fiber-reinforced composites. These materials are useful in load-bearing components for mechanical systems, and other applications. Also disclosed herein are methods of making and using such composites, articles comprising the same, and the like. For example, some embodiments of the invention are generally directed to composites comprising discontinuous agents such as fibers or platelets which are positioned within a substrate, e.g., formed from a plurality of continuous fibers. In some cases, the discontinuous agents may be substantially aligned, for example, by attaching magnetic particles onto the agents and using a magnetic field to manipulate the agents. Other embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods for making or using such composites, kits involving such composites, or the like.