XPost: alt.unix.geeks   
   From: gay@sfuu.ca   
      
   c186282 wrote:   
      
   > On 1/20/26 22:56, Lars Poulsen wrote:   
   >> {Note Followups-To]   
   >>   
   >> On 2026-01-21, c186282  wrote:   
   >>>   
   https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-newly-metallic-material-thermal-upends.html   
   >>>   
   >>> Copper currently dominates the global heat-sink market, accounting   
   >>> for roughly 30% of commercial thermal-management materials, with   
   >>> a thermal conductivity of about 400 watts per meter-kelvin.   
   >>>   
   >>> The UCLA-led team found that metallic theta-phase tantalum   
   >>> nitride, in contrast, has an ultrahigh thermal conductivity   
   >>> of approximately 1,100 W/mK, setting a new benchmark for   
   >>> metallic materials and redefining what is possible for heat   
   >>> transport in metals.   
   >>>   
   >>> . . .   
   >>>   
   >>>     The new stuff is a sort-of metal ... a particular crystalline   
   >>>     config of tantalum nitride.   
   >>>   
   >>>     While still not a superconductor, a 2.5x boost in heat   
   >>>     conductivity can make a HUGE difference with IC chips.   
   >>>     What if you can run yer boxes with 80,000 Nvidia chips   
   >>>     30% faster, yet spend less on cooling them ?   
   >>>   
   >>>     Can this be easily commercialized ? Stay tuned ...   
   >>   
   >> I seem to remember that tantalum is one of those metals mined in open   
   >> pits in the Congo. A "conflict mineral".   
   >   
   >    Not sure.   
   >   
   >    Also not sure I'm on board with the "conflict "   
   >    designation. Conflicts seem eternal, and every nation and   
   >    faction always raises money any way it can. Note that most   
   >    US uranium comes from what WERE 'native lands' confiscated   
   >    rather recently "because we needed uranium". In short, there   
   >    is no way to avoid 'conflict ' and defs will vary   
   >    quite widely.   
   >   
   >    In any case, likely rather small amounts of tantalum will   
   >    be needed ... relatively thin film heat dissipating elements.   
      
   However, almost all electronic devices contain tantalum capacitors these   
   days.   
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