Research · Thermophene

01Key Performance

Four numbersthat define the material

Conducts well, dispenses easily, insulates and lasts. One filler meets the four conditions a thermal material needs.

12W/mK Isotropic thermal conductivity
≤300Pa·s Auto-dispensing viscosity
10¹²Ω·cm Volume resistivity
1,000+ Thermal cycle durability

024-Step Process

Spherical particlesmade by spray pyrolysis

Ceramic fillers need processes above 2,000℃; ours runs at 700℃ or below.

A tube furnace and ultrasonic atomizer on the lab bench

STEP 01
Coffee grounds pre-treatment
Defatting and activation extract coffee oil and polyphenols and form a porous carbon precursor at near-zero raw cost.
- Defatting
- Activation
STEP 02
Spray pyrolysis
Ultrasonic droplets form 10 μm spherical CuO-C particles that roll like ball bearings, tackling viscosity at the source.
- Spherical particles
- 10μm
STEP 03
Reduction heat treatment
Reduction at 700℃ or below builds a continuous 3D copper network for isotropic 12 W/mK.
- ≤700℃
- Cu 3D network
STEP 04
SiO₂ nano-coating
A sol-gel coating under 50 nm prevents copper oxidation and secures 10¹² Ω·cm volume resistivity.
- Sol-gel
- Insulation

A barista knocking out a used espresso puck

03Why Coffee Grounds?

200,000 tons are thrown away in Korea every year.

Coffee grounds from cafés are carbon-rich and easy to source. They were officially recognized as a circular resource in 2022.

Accessible
1,000 tons a month are available within Jeonbuk alone.
Carbon-rich
About 40% carbon yield, with micro and meso pores and valuable lipids.
Low cost
Raw material is nearly free apart from shipping, and pre-treatment is simple.

04Green Carbon Platform

From raw material to TIM,nothing is wasted

By-product revenue is reinvested in R&D, building a self-sustaining, carbon-neutral supply chain.

STEP 1Raw material

Spent coffee grounds

200,000 tons wasted in Korea every year, with ~40% carbon yield.
STEP 2Defatting

Coffee oil

Sold as a cosmetic ingredient for early cash flow.
STEP 3Activation

Porous carbon

Sold as deodorizer feedstock. Zero loss.
STEP 4Core R&D

Thermal interface material

Cu-C filler with 12 W/mK, our main revenue.

Efficiency: raw material reuse: 100%
Performance: revenue streams: 3streams
Value: coffee grounds supply (Jeonbuk, monthly): 1,000t

05Comparison

High markson all six axes

Graphite sheets conduct in one plane; ceramics are heavy and costly. Cu-C filler conducts in every direction while staying light and affordable.

Thermophene Cu-C: 28/30
Graphite sheet: 18/30
Ceramic: 13/30

Thermophene internal assessment, 5 points per axis.

Thermophene Cu-C28/30 Graphite sheet18/30 Ceramic (BN, AlN, Al₂O₃)13/30

Six-axis comparison, out of 5
Axis	Thermophene Cu-C	Graphite sheet	Ceramic (BN, AlN, Al₂O₃)
Thermal	4	5	3
Isotropy	5	1	4
Processability	5	2	2
Lightweight	4	5	2
Low cost	5	3	1
Eco-friendly	5	2	1

Ceramic filler versus Thermophene Cu-C filler
Item	Ceramic filler	Thermophene Cu-C
Process temperature	2,000℃ or higher	700℃ or below
Heat direction	Depends on particle shape	Isotropic via Cu 3D network
Raw material cost	Commodity BN filler ₩250K/kg	₩18,420/kg (coffee grounds ₩0)
Carbon	High emissions from high-heat processes	100% biogenic carbon
Supply	Japan, US and Germany	Domestic core technology

06R&D Infrastructure

Research continues atour Gwangmyeong lab

We opened our corporate R&D lab in Gwangmyeong in July 2026, filed two patents on structure control of biomass-derived carbon, and plan certification by an accredited test lab in H2 2026.