Researchers from the Institute of Metallurgical Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new technology for manufacturing heat pipes based on electrochemical 3D printing. This development addresses a critical problem in the field of high-performance chip cooling.
The scientists were able to create Omega (Ω)-shaped micro-heat pipes with a gradient porous capillary structure. This was previously impossible. The new technology allows for double the heat dissipation compared to traditional finned heat pipes and achieves twice the capillary force compared to ordinary sintered copper powder capillaries.
The Omega shape, resembling the Greek letter Ω, has long been recognized as the ideal cross-section for next-generation heat pipes. Its curved structure provides stronger capillary suction, increases the internal surface area, and promotes ideal separation of liquid and vapor, theoretically allowing for thermal conductivity 1000 times higher than pure copper.
However, the narrow internal cavity of the Omega channels made it impossible to form gradient porous capillary structures using traditional powder sintering or mechanical processing, which has long posed difficulties in the industry.
The team immerses copper tubes in a copper salt solution using galvanization. During this process, copper atoms are built up layer by layer, and the current and time are controlled to form a continuous gradient porous structure—from nanometers at the base to micrometers at the top. This process is similar to coral reef growth: nanopores create capillary suction, while micropores reduce flow resistance.
The resulting gradient capillary provides capillary suction twice that of traditional sintered copper powder structures. This means the liquid return rate doubles, and the risk of overheating and drying out is significantly reduced. Heat pipes equipped with this new capillary demonstrate twice the heat dissipation capacity per tube compared to traditional finned pipes. The process completely eliminates secondary assembly by integrating the gradient capillary and the Omega channel in one step, thereby eliminating structural mismatch and interfacial thermal resistance issues inherent in traditional sintering or filling methods. The company Jiangxi Naile Copper Industry Co. participated in the industrial collaboration.
This breakthrough helps solve the thermal crisis in AI computing. As GPU power requirements increase and casing sizes decrease, the heat pipe with an Omega channel and gradient capillary opens the way to managing rack-level heat loads exceeding 300 kW using existing production infrastructure, expanding design possibilities amid the steady growth of AI computing density.
High-purity PFA, a fluoropolymer essential for modern wet process equipment in the semiconductor industry, is gaining attention amid China's increasing drive to localize its semiconductor supply chain. This material is critical for manufacturing chemically resistant tubing, fittings, valves, and containers used in wafer cleaning, etching, and chemical-mechanical polishing processes.
The material's ability to resist contamination at an extreme purity level directly impacts the yield of functional chips on advanced technological nodes. The localization of PFA production within the country is occurring against the backdrop of expanding capacity by global memory chip manufacturers and accelerated investment in advanced logic processing.
Historically, the high-purity PFA market was controlled by several major global chemical companies with years of experience in producing ultra-pure fluoropolymers. The material must meet very stringent standards, including extremely low metal ion extraction, particle count control, and mechanical property stability in every batch. These requirements have proven technically challenging for new market entrants.
Several Chinese chemical companies have reached the batch verification stage. Their products undergo qualification testing by semiconductor equipment manufacturers and fab operators. The verification process typically takes several quarters and includes accelerated aging tests, chemical compatibility analyses, particle shedding measurements, and performance checks directly on the customer's equipment. Successful verification will allow Chinese equipment makers to procure this critical material domestically, thereby reducing reliance on foreign suppliers and shortening lead times, which can reach 12–24 months due to global equipment constraints.
The market potential is considerable, as every advanced semiconductor fab requires large volumes of high-purity PFA for chemical delivery systems, wet benches, and wastewater treatment infrastructure. As China builds numerous new wafer fabs under government-backed initiatives to achieve semiconductor self-sufficiency, the domestic PFA market volume is growing proportionally. Industry estimates suggest that demand for semiconductor-grade fluoropolymers in China could exceed several billion yuan annually over the next five years.
The technological complexity of this production cannot be underestimated. Producing high-purity PFA requires specialized polymerization processes, ultra-high purity raw materials, dedicated cross-contamination-free production lines, and sophisticated quality control systems capable of detecting impurities at parts-per-trillion levels. The verification stage is a crucial milestone, but achieving mass production with consistent quality at competitive prices may require additional investment in specialized manufacturing infrastructure. If local suppliers can successfully pass the verification and scaling phases, high-purity PFA could become another example in China's broader strategy of material localization in the semiconductor industry, which has already made significant progress in photoresists, etching gases, and CMP slurries.
