Dual Heat-Pathway Epoxy Beads for Constructing Continuous Thermal Transport Networks in Epoxy Molding Compounds

In this study, dual heat-pathway epoxy beads were designed to construct continuous thermal transport pathways in epoxy molding compounds (EMCs) for advanced semiconductor packaging applications. A mixture of silica fillers, epoxy resin, and a curing agent was added dropwise to an aqueous poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) solution to fabricate spherical epoxy beads containing uniformly distributed silica fillers. During bead formation, buoyancy, gravity, and flow-induced particle migration enabled the homogeneous distribution of the fillers within the epoxy beads. Subsequently, alumina fillers were introduced onto the bead surfaces, forming a dual heat-pathway structure consisting of internal silica networks and external alumina conduction pathways. This interconnected filler architecture established continuous thermal pathways throughout the EMC matrix, resulting in enhanced heat dissipation compared with conventional silica-filled EMC. Despite its low filler loading, the proposed epoxy bead-based EMC exhibited thermal performance comparable to that of alumina-filled EMC owing to the synergistic effect of the internal silica and external alumina pathways. This dual heat-pathway epoxy bead approach provides a promising strategy for developing thermally conductive EMC materials for next-generation semiconductor packaging applications.
- This work was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (No. RS-2025-25396489).