Sur-Seal Thermal Management Solutions
Effective thermal management is critical to the accuracy, reliability and life of your products. As devices and equipment reduce in size and increase in power requirements, the need for heat dissipation with thermal interface materials (TIMs) to provide heat transfer within your product increases considerably.
The purpose of thermal interface materials is to maintain effective transfer of heat from chips to dissipating devices such as heat sinks, extending the life of a circuit board or component. In most cases, Sur-Seal recommends utilizing either silicone (Sur-Cool) or graphite (Neograf) for the most durability, low maintenance, and long-term effectiveness of a thermal interface material, whether for gap filler, or gap pads.
Silicone or Graphite: Which is best for my application?
| Considerations | Silicone | Graphite |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Silicone gap fillers, pads, and heat sinks are a good option for larger gaps, with lower conductivity requirements. Silicone gap pads and fillers are ideal to cover, or wet out, non-smooth mating surfaces. | Graphite is a thinner, thermally conductive material that allows for considerable heat movement within small space. Additionally, graphite is chemically inert with minimal outgassing. |
| Thermal conductivity | 0.8 – 3.0 W/m-K | 6 – 240 W/m-K |
| Gap space | Good for larger gaps | Good for small gaps |
| Surface flatness | Good for filling uneven surfaces allowing for wet out | Good for smooth machined surfaces |
| Electrical isolation | Non-conductive | Conductive |
| Compressibility | Good in situations of poor or uneven bolt compression | Good for consistent compression |
| Temperature range | -40° – 150°C | -40° – 400°C |
