Reworkable thermal interface materials (TIMs) are widely used within data-intensive electronics such as gaming systems, where heat-generating components like graphics cards may need to be replaced during the system’s lifetime. Thermally conductive grease has been a staple in system design for many years due to its ease of application and removal, making it simple to swap out components like graphics processing units (GPUs) in the future. Though reworkable TIMs like thermally conductive grease offer convenience and easy modification, these materials can fail as mechanical dispersions may separate over time, causing the oil to leak and the paste to chalk. Subsequently, this separation has downstream consequences of thermal runaway, hotspots, and, ultimately, component failure.
Next-generation thermal materials like thermal gels share similar features as thermal grease yet are not prone to failure via separation. Specifically, these materials provide tack adhesion and can easily be removed for rework. Further, their low modulus enables the material to be compressed to a low bond line thickness, reducing thermal resistivity and boosting heat flow.
To understand if a TIM will work in a specific application, it must be characterized so the material’s constraints are known. Techniques like the Modified Transient Plane Source (MTPS) and Transient Plane Source (TPS) for Thermal Conductivity, Dynamic Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA) help to determine the material’s thermal properties.
This webinar aired on October 1, 2024 @ 2:00PM GMT-4.
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