Thermal Interface Materials

With electronics smaller and more powerful, thermal management has become vital to prevent overheating and circuit failure. Heat generating devices like CPUs and GPUs need to quickly move heat away prevent overheating. Thermal interface materials (TIMs) displace air gaps between circuit parts and heat sinks to help move heat out of the circuit.

MG Chemicals has four distinct types of TIMs depending on your needs. For bonding, we have a line of thermally conductive glue in a variety of thickness and working times. Our reworkable gap filler materials include silicone gap fillers, thermal paste and thermal gels. These materials do not cure so devices can power up following application.

Thermal adhesives are one or two part materials that include epoxy or silicone materials. They temperature cure to a range of hardness values from soft to rigid. Epoxy thermal adhesives offer chemical resistance and protect from shock and impact while silicone offers softness and temperature resistance. The choice of which material type to use depends mostly on the climate.

The epoxy line of adhesives has flowable and non-sag type thickness along with fast, medium and slow working times. The line includes a low outgassing option for space or optics projects. Silicone adhesives include 1-part options with flowable and non-sag thickness. These materials cure at room temperature or with heat.

Thermal grease or thermal paste is a 1-part material that does not cure and form a solid. The material spreads over surfaces manually and forms thin layers. Thermal grease contains either silicone or synthetic oil base with thermal filler. Grease does not provide any hold to the material, allowing for rework in the future if needed.

Thermal grease is easy to use and is a popular TIM for repair of laptops and gaming consoles. Spread some paste over the heat producing device and fasten the heatsink to lower the overall thermal resistance. The grease does not have any odor, requires no prep and lasts a long time under normal operating conditions.

Thermal gap fillers are 2-part silicones that cure to form a soft putty. The cured product does not offer any hold so future rework of hardware is possible. These materials expand as they cure and fill micro voids along the interface surface. The expansion ensure no hotspots, and maximum heat dissipation.

Thermal gap filler is a soft material, minimizing pressure as the device heats and cools. The soft texture allows for high compression so the material becomes thin at the interface. Since this material cures, it will not dry out with high temperature exposure, making it ideal in harsh climates over a grease. The cured material is also flame retardant.

Thermal gels are newer materials and have a texture similar to a grease. These are 1-part materials that do not cure so there is no downtime after application. The gel has no silicone so there is no risk of pump out over time. Like gap fillers, gels will not dry out over time, making them a more suitable choice for harsh environments.

One of the main features of the gel is that it can be compress down to a thin bond line. A thin bond line of material at the interface lowers thermal resistance, meaning better heat flow. Gels have high thermal conductivity and are flame retardant, providing a fire break when needed.

When choosing a TIM, consider all needs like thermal conductivity, working time, adhesion, and processing. Please browse our full product offering and contact us for any additional help. Our extensive line of thermal interface materials ensure that we have a solution for you.