Trident™ Thermal Conductivity Application Highlight Thermal Interface Materials Under Compression

The thermal conductivities of silicone and non-silicone thermal interface materials (TIMs) under different compressed states were measured using the Transient Plane Source (TPS) method. Compression was applied using the Compression Test Accessory (CTA). As technological trends advance towards fabricating more complex, powerful, and compact devices, waste-heat management becomes more important, particularly in multi-layered structures. Thermal interface materials are typically applied within the interfaces between the layers, filling in the air gaps, improving the heat transfer rate, and ensuring that waste heat is dissipated away from critical components. Various factors define the effectiveness of TIMs in thermal management, including the type, composition, and bulk thermal conductivity (k) of the materials, the quality of the interface surfaces, and the applied loading conditions. It is important to note that choosing the correct type of TIMs, thermal pads, gels, or grease is highly dependent on the application's specific needs. In this application note, the TPS method available on the Trident platform has been used to measure the thermal conductivity of two thermal pads. The 13 mm TPS sensor was placed between two stacks of thermal pads, and the Compression Test Accessory (CTA) was used to apply the compression load. The digital variance indicator, included with the CTA, was used to track the compression state (deflection%) during the TPS measurements.