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Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are crucial components that protect equipment and devices from high internal temperatures and damaging electromagnetic interference. Designed to serve in the interface between heat-generating components (such as semiconductors or batteries) and cooling features, TIMs use conduction to move heat away.
As boards get hotter and enclosures get smaller, higher performance and ease of use requirements drive continuous improvement of TIMs. That means there are many possible solutions to choose from, and it can be challenging to pick the right material for your application. The two most commonly used TIMs are thermal gels and thermal pads. While it’s natural to just want the best performing material, each application is different, and the “best” performing material may not fit your needs. It’s important to consider other physical and regulatory properties when deciding on a TIM.
Thermal Material Drivers
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THERM-A-GAP PADs
Thermal Gap Pads
Thermal gap pads are one option to fill gaps between heat-generating electronics components and heat-dissipating surfaces. Gap pads are designed to be soft and reduce component stress. Two key advantages of gad pads is that they provide vibration dampening and have a large compression range. They are available in a range of thermal conductivity values with higher conductivity associated with greater heat dissipation.
Pads are manufactured in sheets or continuous rolls at various thicknesses, and they can be cut to accommodate a wide range of sizes and thermal performance needs, with a convenient “peel and stick assembly.”
THERM-A-GAP GELs
Thermal Gels
Thermal gels are one-component, dispensable products that don’t require a secondary cure operation and stay conformable over the lifetime of the product. Gels have high thermal performances and can often match or even outperform pads.
Supply chain ease of use is one of the biggest advantages of a gel versus gap pad. For instance, if you have a board with various heights of components, you would need to use various types of gap pads in order to meet the thermal requirements. Conversely, you could dispense varying amounts of gels to take up that space without having to change out parts or provide the engineers with drawings of different applications.
Expert TIM Guidance
If you need assistance identifying the most suitable gap filler for your application, we’d be happy to connect you with one of our expert engineers. TIMs are not a one-size-fits-all solution, and our team is standing by to help you find the right solution for your needs.
Parker Chomerics offers a broad product line of THERM-A-GAP® materials that deliver lower thermal impedance, higher thermal conductivity, and greater compliance and conformability to both microelectronics and large-scale electronics. In addition to gap fillers, we offer an extensive range of thermal interface materials, including thermally conductive adhesive tapes, thermally conductive greases, thermally conductive heat spreaders, and thermally conductive phase change materials. We keep reliability and quality top of mind throughout the design process and are 100% committed to customer satisfaction.
Watch this webinar to learn more about thermal theory and choosing the best TIM for your application.
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Need Help Finding the Right Gap Filler? Talk to an Expert Engineer Now.
If you need assistance identifying the most suitable gap filler for your application, speak with one of our expert engineers. Our team is ready to help.
Thermal Interface Materials
We offer an extensive range of thermal interface materials, including thermally conductive adhesive tapes, thermally conductive greases, thermally conductive heat spreaders, and thermally conductive phase change materials. We invite you to explore our selection and determine which materials are best suited for your specific application. Our products are designed with reliability and quality in mind, and our commitment to customer satisfaction is paramount.
Featured THERM-A-GAP Gap Filler Gels & Pads
THERM-A-GAP GEL 75
THERM-A-GAP GEL 75 is a high performance, one component, dispensable thermal interface material with 7.5 W/m-K thermal conductivity developed to conduct heat from electronics to a heat sink or enclosure.
The material’s heavy paste-like consistency enables controlled dispensing, applied in variable thicknesses to suit application needs. THERM-A-GAP GEL 75 requires low compressive force to deform under assembly pressure subjecting components, solder joints and leads to minimal stresses.
THERM-A-GAP GEL 50TBL
THERM-A-GAP GEL 50TBL is a reworkable, high performance, one component, dispensable, thermal interface material with 5.0 W/m-K Bulk typical Thermal Conductivity.
GEL 50TBL was developed to conduct heat away from electronics to a heat sink or enclosure at very thin bond lines. At minimum bond line thickness of 0.002” or 0.05mm, the Apparent Thermal Conductivity exceeds 11 W/m-K.
The “TBL” suffix stands for Thin Bond Line, indicating that this material is meant for thin bond line applications. THERM-A-GAP GEL 50TBL requires no mixing or secondary curing and is designed for easy application and possible rework.
THERM-A-GAP PAD 80
THERM-A-GAP™ PAD 80 is a high performance, thermally conductive gap filler pad with a thermal conductivity of 8.3 W/m-K. It provides superior heat transfer across a range of thicknesses while maintaining low compression forces and conformability between mating surfaces.
THERM-A-GAP™ PAD 80 is designed to serve as an effective thermal interface between heat sinks and heat generating components on electronic devices where uneven surfaces, air gaps, and rough surfaces may exist. This material exhibits low silicone oil bleeding and is ideal for high thermal performance needs across industries.
THERM-A-GAP PAD 70TP
THERM‐A‐GAP PAD 70TP is a high performance, highly conformable thermally conductive gap filler pad with 7.0 W/m‐K thermal conductivity. It provides superior thermal performance and long‐term stability over conventional thermal pads with very low compression force.
THERM‐A‐GAP PAD 70TP is designed to provide effective heat transfer between electronic components and their associated cooling features such as heat sinks. The physical properties of this gap pad allow it to exhibit very high conformability and minimize the compressive load on underlying electronics.
Thermal Gels or Gap Filler Pads? Top 6 Things You Should Know.
Two principal “gap filler” thermal interface materials prevalent on the market today are thermal gels – also known as dispensable gap fillers – and gap filler pads. So, which one should you select for your application? Here are the top 6 things you need to know.
Webinar: 2023 Thermal Interface Material Innovations
Over the last year, Parker Chomerics has developed new, state of the art thermal interface materials, or TIMs, for use across industries and applications. These novel products continue to expand the portfolio of high performance, high reliability thermal gap pads and dispensable thermal gels.
Empowering Your Business on a Global Scale
Parker Chomerics’ manufacturing operations span the globe, allowing us to serve you locally no matter where you are. We understand your unique needs and provide personalized solutions that cater to your specific requirements.
