As mobile devices become ubiquitous and mobility becomes more electric, the need for higher performance and smaller devices is increasing rapidly.
As the amount of heat generated by electronic devices increases, effective heat dissipation is becoming a major problem. Heat is the enemy of all electronic devices and can lead to poor performance, reduced device life, and deteriorating reliability. Conventional air and water cooling systems can dissipate heat but forced cooling systems require larger equipment and increased energy consumption
It is therefore vitally important to make electronic components highly thermally conductive so that they can efficiently dissipate heat. The key heat dissipation materials for electronic components are ceramics and resin/rubber materials
Additives (fillers) are the key to improving the heat removal performance of ceramics and resin materials. At U-MAP, we have developed an innovative filler material, Thermalnite (fibrous aluminum nitride single crystal), that dramatically improves the conduction of heat away from sensitive electronic components. In addition to Thermalnite’s superior heat conduction capacity, it also improves physical robustness with high electrical resistance characteristics.
With minimal material addition, it is possible to significantly improve thermal conductivity and mechanical strength in ceramics, resins and rubbers. The use of lighter and easier to process materials Enables lighter smartphones, longer lasting batteries, and more energy-efficient industrial and aerospace equipment suitable for use in harsh environments
U-MAP’s materials contribute to a more sustainable approach to the devices that make modern life possible.
Power consumption and heat generation are closely related. Heat generation in phones and computers reduces the efficiency of the CPU, so more power is needed to perform the same processing. In data centers, where excess power consumption is an issue, nearly half of the power consumed is used to cool the servers. It is estimated said that the power used for this cooling already accounts for nearly 1% of the world's total power consumption, and there are predictions that it will increase to 10% by 2030.
By addressing the heat problem in electronic devices, we can reduce the impact of these devices and systems on the world's energy problems. This is the energy-optimized future that U-MAP is aiming toward.
U-MAP is a high-tech materials venture born from collaboration with a world-class university laboratory.
In addition to creating valuable new materials for use in consumer and industrial products, U-MAP is demonstrating a new model of entrepreneurship and the conversion of ideas into economic productivity. Close collaboration with the scientists and researchers at the Ujihara Lab at Nagoya University and the integration of best practices from Silicon Valley will create a template for growth that other Japanese universities may emulate. Adopting a global mindset from the outset, U-MAP is able to think broadly in its ambitions, focus its early efforts on building the proper foundations, and demonstrate that new ventures can emerge quickly and completely from the university setting. Sharing the learned experiences with other aspiring technologists and management professionals, U-MAP will create value well beyond its own activities.
The future of university-based entrepreneurship and economic development demands such forward thinking. U-MAP and Nagoya University are at the cutting edge of these essential practices.
