Enhanced heat transfer in printed circuit boards and electronic components thereof

A structure for providing an enhanced heat transfer capability in a circuit board having electronic components and which is at least in part cooled by a gas flowing around the board. The enhanced heat transfer structure includes thermally conductive fibers attached at a first end to at least a portion of the exterior surfaces of the circuit board and/or electronic components thereof. The fibers extend out from the aforementioned exterior surfaces in a generally perpendicular direction, and are used to conduct heat from the circuit board and/or electronic components, and transfer it to the surrounding gas. Electrostatic fiber flocking methods are employed to attached the fibers in the aforementioned perpendicular orientation. It is also preferred that these thermally conductive fibers are carbon fibers, and attached to the exterior surface of the circuit board by a layer of adhesive. The enhanced heat transfer structure can be incorporated during the assembly of the board, or where the circuit board is an existing unit, the thermally conductive fibers can be attached without removing electronic components disposed thereon. Thus existing circuit boards can be retrofitted.