Japanese producers continue to develop meteoric improvements in
bioplastics for engineering applications. The newest is a
stunner: NEC has developed a bioplastic that has better heat
conductivity than stainless steel. The new material is aimed at
new mobile phones and personal computers that are too small for
fans and other devices used to remove heat. “In electronic
product housings, the use of heat-conductive metals is
considered to be one alternative to plastic for improving heat
release,” NEC said in a statement. “However, heat conductivities
in the thick direction of metal boards are too high and can
cause partial or rapid increase in the temperature of housings
near electronic parts that have high temperatures.”Previous
attempts to use heat-conducting plastics for housings have been
slowed by their high costs (due to 50 percent-plus content of
fiber or stainless steel), poor moldability and high densities.
NEC has been researching alternatives using bioplastic, which
has the same low heat conductivity a