A number of processes have been developed over the past two decades for the manufacture of micro copper structures used in heat pipes because of their good thermal conductance and capillary force properties. However, the processes used such as machining or lithography have relatively low production rates. H Cho and S J Park, at Pohang University of Science and Technology in Korea, recently reported on research to mass produce micro copper heat pipes using Powder Injection Moulding at the World PM2016 Congress [as reviewed in Powder Injection Moulding International, Vol. 11, No 1, March 2017, pp 86-87], stating that PIM is a promising route for producing micro copper heat pipes because of its ability to achieve the required total pipe thickness of less than 0.6 mm with a wall thickness of around 0.1 mm - 0.2 mm.
展开▼
