1. NATURAL GRAPHITE IN THERMAL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS – SURVEY
1. What are the applicationswhereyouuse thermal managementsolutions:LEDs,PowerElectronics,
Smartphones,TV,SetTopBoxes,…?
2. For eachapplication, whatare the differentmaterialsavailable toanswerthermal managementchallenges?
(Syntheticgraphite foil,Natural Graphitefoil,Aluminumfoil,Copperfoil,thermalconductivetape (precise
materials),phase change material (precise material),silicon,heatpipes…)
o Application1 MaterialsA, B, C
o Application2 MaterialsA’,B’,C’
o Application3 …
3. For eachapplication,whatare the constraints/challengesof the thermal managementpart?(thermal
conductivity,electricconductivity,maximumweight,maximumspace,cost,maximumheat…)
o Application1 ConstraintsX,Y
o Application2 ConstraintsX’,Y’
o Application3 …
4. For eachof these constraints,canyourank the differentsolutionsavailable(cf questionn°2) ona scale of 1
(best) to10 (worst),orat leastcomparativelytoeachother?
o Thermal conductivity Syntheticgraphite =1, Aluminumfoil =5, …
o Electricconductivity Silicon>Graphite > …
o Cost 
o EMI shielding
o Flexibility 
o Weight
o ConstraintX 
o ConstraintY 
5. For eachapplicationwhere natural graphite isthe best thermal managementsolution,canyougive anexample
of applicationx product,andexplainwhynatural graphiteisthe bestchoice?
o TV set: Natural graphite foil asthermal spreader Natural graphite ischosenbecause X,Y,Z.
o Application2:  Natural graphite ischosenbecause X’,Y’,Z’.
o Application3:  Natural graphite ischosenbecause…
6. For eachapplicationwhere natural graphite isNOTthe bestthermal managementsolution,canyougive an
example of the applicationx solutionandexplainwhythe othersolutionwasbetterthannatural graphite?
o Smartphones:syntheticgraphite usedSyntheticgraphite isbetterthannatural because itisthinner
o Application2: solutionA SolutionA betterthannatural graphite because X,Y
o Application3: solutionB SolutionBbetterthannatural graphite because X’,Y’…
7. For eachapplicationwhere natural graphite isused,canyouexplainwhatquantityisused:
o For a typical LED, 0,0XX square metersof natural graphite foilsare used
o For applicationA,XXkgsof natural graphite are typicallyused
o …
8. For eachapplicationwhere natural graphite isused,canyouexplainhow the applicationmarketisevolving?
o Smartphone marketusesnatural graphite,andisexpectedtogrow by 25% up to 2020
o ApplicationA usesnatural graphite andisa shrinkingmarket,losing5% peryear.
o …

2. 9. For eachapplicationwhere natural graphite isused,canyouexplainif the trendistouse more andmore
graphite,orless?
o ApplicationA More heat,somore natural graphite needed.Evolutionof +2% peryear
o ApplicationBComponentsare becomingsmaller,sothe areaof thermal spreaderneededislower.
Around5% lessgraphite peryear.
o …
10. For eachapplicationwhere natural graphite isused,canyouexplainwhichmaterialsare bestsuitedto
substitute natural graphite,forwhatreasons,andwhatmarketchangesare youexpectingonthisside?
o For example :Iexpectconductive tape heatspreadingperformancetoenhance inthe next5 years,soit
will be usedinstead of natural graphite
o …
11. For eachapplicationwhere natural graphite isNOTused,canyouexplainwhichmaterialsitcouldsubstitue,for
whatreasons,and whatmarketchangesare youexpectingonthisside?
o For example :Iexpectnatural graphite toreplace aluminumfoil asitsthermal performance are higher
and itsprice is gettingdowntocompetitivelevels.Thiscouldhappenina10-yearhorizon.
o …
12. Are you expectingsome innovationson thermal managementsolutionsforelectronicsthatwill impactnatural
graphite?
13. Whenyouuse natural graphite foran application,how doyoudifferentiate betweenthe differentonesavailable
inthe market?
o Technical performance (explicit)
o Price
o Geographicfootprint/Deliverytime
o Other(service level,specificproduct,…)
14. How doyou differentiatebetween natural graphite suppliers?
o Grade
o Price
o Deliverytime
o Other(service level,specificproduct…
15. Has there beenanychange inthe natural graphite marketrecently(price drop,new technology,patents,new
players…)?
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