With the continuous improvement of electronic device performance, the heat generated by its internal components is also increasing. Especially in high-performance processors, graphics chips, LED lighting, power electronics and other applications, thermal management has become a key factor in equipment reliability and lifespan. In these applications, thermal grease plays a crucial role as an efficient thermal interface material. It can efficiently transfer the heat generated by electronic components to heat sinks or other cooling devices, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of equipment under high loads. This article will delve into the working principle, application advantages, and future development trends of heat dissipation silicone grease.
1、 Basic principle of heat dissipation silicone grease
Thermal grease, also known as thermal grease or thermal paste, is a material with high thermal conductivity and low electrical conductivity, usually made by mixing silicone oil with thermal fillers (such as metal oxides, nitrides, etc.). Its main function is to fill subtle air gaps between electronic components and heat sinks to improve thermal conductivity efficiency. Although the surfaces of electronic components and heat sinks appear smooth, countless tiny irregularities can be seen under a microscope, which can lead to the formation of air gaps. Air is a poor conductor of heat, hindering the transfer of heat. Thermal grease fills these tiny gaps to minimize thermal resistance and improve the thermal management capability of the equipment.
2、 Main characteristics of heat dissipation silicone grease
high-thermal conductivity
The thermal conductive fillers contained in the heat dissipating silicone grease, such as aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, boron nitride, etc., have excellent thermal conductivity and can quickly transfer the heat generated by electronic components to the heat sink. Thermal conductivity is usually measured in W/m · K (watts per meter per Kelvin), and high-performance thermal grease can achieve a thermal conductivity of 3-7 W/m · K or even higher, effectively reducing thermal resistance.
Good electrical insulation
The electrical insulation of thermal grease is very important, especially in high voltage and high current applications. High quality heat dissipation silicone grease can provide efficient thermal conductivity while being non-conductive, avoiding the risk of short circuits between components. The insulation performance of silicone grease ensures the safety of electronic components, making it suitable for various high voltage and high temperature environments.
High temperature resistance and chemical stability
Thermal grease typically has excellent high-temperature resistance and can maintain stable operation within a temperature range of -50 ° C to+200 ° C or even higher. Under long-term high temperature conditions, high-quality heat dissipation silicone grease will not dry, deteriorate, lose or evaporate, ensuring its long-term effectiveness. In addition, the heat dissipation silicone grease should have excellent chemical stability and be able to resist oxidation, moisture, and other chemical substances.
Adjustable viscosity and fluidity
Thermal grease typically has appropriate viscosity and fluidity, allowing it to be easily applied to the surface of components and evenly distributed. When a certain pressure is applied, the heat dissipating silicone grease can flow and fill all small gaps, ensuring complete thermal interface coverage. But it will not flow like a liquid to avoid displacement or overflow issues after prolonged use.
Elaplus thermal conductive silicone grease
Model characteristics
SIGR 2212 1.2 Thermal conductivity
SIGR 2215 1.5 Thermal Conductivity
SIGR 2225 2.5 Thermal conductivity
SIGR 2230 3.0 Thermal Conductivity
SIGR 2235 3.5 Thermal Conductivity
SIGR 2250 5.1 Thermal conductivity
3、 Application fields of heat dissipation silicone grease
(CPU) and (GPU)
In computers and servers, CPUs and GPUs are the main heat sources. As a thermal interface material, thermal grease can effectively reduce the thermal resistance between the processor and the heat sink, ensuring the stability of the equipment under high loads. High quality heat dissipation silicone grease can significantly improve heat dissipation efficiency, reduce temperature fluctuations of processors, and extend the service life of equipment.
LED lighting equipment
LED light sources have high luminous efficiency, but they also generate a large amount of heat. If these heat cannot be effectively dissipated, the lifespan and luminous efficiency of the LED will be affected. Thermal grease is commonly used between LED chips and heat sinks to ensure rapid heat transfer and prevent LED overheating.
Power electronic devices
Power electronic devices, such as IGBT, MOSFET, etc., play a critical role in power electronic equipment. These devices generate a large amount of heat during operation, and poor heat dissipation may lead to device failure or performance degradation. The application of thermal grease can ensure stable operation of these devices under high temperature conditions and reduce failure rates.
Home appliances and consumer electronics products
Effective heat dissipation management is also required for internal electronic components in household appliances such as televisions, air conditioners, and refrigerators. Thermal grease not only improves the thermal management capability of components, but also enhances their reliability under different environmental conditions.
New energy vehicles
With the popularity of electric vehicles, heat management has become an important issue for batteries, drive motors, and power electronic components. Thermal grease can effectively reduce the temperature of key components in electric vehicles, extend their service life, and improve the safety of the entire vehicle.
4、 The future development trend of heat dissipation silicone grease
Improve thermal conductivity efficiency
With the continuous increase in power of electronic devices, the market demand for the thermal conductivity of heat dissipation silicone grease is also increasing. In the future, more high thermal conductivity filler materials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and other new materials will be introduced into the formulation of heat dissipation silicone grease to further improve its thermal conductivity efficiency. Thermal grease with a thermal conductivity of up to 10 W/m · K or even 20 W/m · K may gradually become the mainstream in the market, meeting the needs of higher performance equipment.
Environmental Protection and Safety Improvement
With the increasing global awareness of environmental protection, thermal grease will also develop towards a more environmentally friendly direction. Reducing the use of harmful chemicals, lowering carbon emissions during production, and improving product recyclability are all key directions for future research and development of heat dissipation silicone grease. At the same time, the new generation of products will also focus on improving their security and compatibility to adapt to more complex and changing application environments.
Intelligent Materials and Self regulating Technology
Future heat dissipation silicone grease may introduce intelligent material technology to self regulate according to the temperature changes of the equipment. For example, some new materials may have stronger thermal conductivity at high temperatures, while exhibiting better insulation effects at low temperatures. This will make thermal management of electronic devices more flexible and efficient.
Thermal grease plays a crucial role in the thermal management of modern electronic devices. It can not only effectively reduce the thermal resistance between electronic components and heat sinks, but also extend the service life of equipment, ensuring its stability and reliability. With the continuous improvement of performance requirements for electronic devices, the technology of heat dissipation silicone grease is also constantly advancing. In the future, more efficient and environmentally friendly products will emerge to meet the thermal management needs of different fields.
label: LED thermal conductivity, thermal grease, heat dissipation grease, thermal management, equipment thermal management
