Quick question about Aluminum Nitride's conductivity

In summary: I will be looking into getting some and testing it out.In summary, the thermal conductivity is x times worse than copper, and it will insulate against 120 VAC.
  • #1
FirewallDaProto
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TL;DR Summary
What's Aluminum Nitrides thermal and electrical conductivity? will it insulate against 120V AC?
Whats its thermal conductivity compared to copper? (as in x times worse than copper)
also, How electrically insulate is it? I'm looking to see if i can use it to encase an entire motherboard in a giant heat sink for a future project where i want to try and cool the entire motherboard to subzero temps.
(sorry if this is worded weirdly, I am not very into physics but i thought this would be a place to find an answer, at the very least, just answer yes or no if it can insulate 120VAC)
 
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  • #3
anorlunda said:
:welcome:

Please do a search before posting here. If you still have questions after the search, then you're welcome to post.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Aluminum+Nitride+conductivity&ia=web
I did some basic searching, but I am not good with the complicated format, i was mainly just asking for someone to simplify, thermal conductivity to a multiple of coppers, and a yes or no if it would insulate 120VAC.
 
  • #4
PF rules require you to make an honest effort. We are here to help you after you have done that. Please note that we are all volunteers, not paid PF researchers.
 
  • #5
jrmichler said:
PF rules require you to make an honest effort. We are here to help you after you have done that. Please note that we are all volunteers, not paid PF researchers.
ah, i understand. I did more research and i found the thermal characteristics are what i need, but i can't figure out how to find out if it'll insulate 120v AC. I've found it's dielectric strength, but have no idea how to get that into a number i can use. I managed to find that its dialectric strength was "1.2–1.8×105 V/mm" but like i said, to me that means gibberish and i tried to find out how to simplify it, but to no avail.
EDIT: i found this, and I am trying to make sense of the numbers http://www.ioffe.ru/SVA/NSM/Semicond/AlN/ebasic.html
 
  • #6
Search terms electrical conductivity aluminum nitride found several good hits, one of which states: The high thermal conductivity and excellent electrical insulation makes Aluminium Nitride suitable for a range of extreme environments and particularly suited to demanding electrical applications.

The ##1.2-1.8 X 10^5## V/mm is the breakdown voltage. It means that a sheet of aluminum nitride a few microns thick will insulate against 120 VAC.
 
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  • #7
FirewallDaProto said:
nd a yes or no if it would insulate 120VAC.
One atom thick? Probably not. One mile? Probably.

It's a good insulator, but if you can't determine if it will work in your application from the resistivity it will be hard for us to help you.
 
  • #8
jrmichler said:
Search terms electrical conductivity aluminum nitride found several good hits, one of which states: The high thermal conductivity and excellent electrical insulation makes Aluminium Nitride suitable for a range of extreme environments and particularly suited to demanding electrical applications.

The ##1.2-1.8 X 10^5## V/mm is the breakdown voltage. It means that a sheet of aluminum nitride a few microns thick will insulate against 120 VAC.
thank you, this is exactly what i needed
 

FAQ: Quick question about Aluminum Nitride's conductivity

1. What is the conductivity of Aluminum Nitride?

The conductivity of Aluminum Nitride varies depending on the type of crystal structure and the temperature. In general, it has a relatively low conductivity compared to other materials, with a range of 10^-10 to 10^-8 ohm^-1 cm^-1.

2. How does the conductivity of Aluminum Nitride compare to other materials?

Aluminum Nitride has a lower conductivity compared to metals, such as copper or aluminum, but a higher conductivity compared to insulators, such as ceramics or plastics. Its conductivity is similar to other semiconductors, such as silicon or gallium nitride.

3. What factors affect the conductivity of Aluminum Nitride?

The conductivity of Aluminum Nitride is affected by the purity of the material, the crystal structure, and the temperature. Impurities and defects in the crystal structure can decrease the conductivity, while higher temperatures can increase it.

4. Is Aluminum Nitride a good conductor or insulator?

Aluminum Nitride is considered a semiconductor, which means it has intermediate conductivity between a good conductor and a good insulator. Its conductivity can be modified by adding impurities or by changing the temperature.

5. What are the applications of Aluminum Nitride's conductivity?

The unique conductivity of Aluminum Nitride makes it useful in various applications, such as in electronic devices, thermal management systems, and as a substrate for high-power and high-frequency devices. Its low thermal conductivity also makes it suitable for use in heat sinks and other thermal management applications.

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