At NEDC, we are always using thermal pads for different customers. Performance for our customers is huge. While I encourage customers to not look at thermal conductivity for a sole indicator of performance, I’d be remiss to say that in this case, the 18 W/m-K is all the performance the big number promises. This product is called GAP PAD TGP 18000SF.
Properties of GAP PAD TGP 18000SF, Silicone-Free
Lets start with the nomenclature. Why is it called TGP 18000SF? First off, 18000 stands for 18 W/m-K of thermal conductivity per ASTM D5470. The “SF” stands for Silicone-Free. This would be one of only a few pads that are silicone free from Henkel, or for that fact any manufacturer. AI / ML accelerator boards, GPU modules, and high-wattage multi-chip modules (MCMs) where a standard 3–6 W/m-K pad is the thermal bottleneck, for the architectural context, see “Why AI Thermal Pads are More Critical Than Ever.“
As most electrical engineers know, silicone can be especially pernicious in applications where lighting, or vision is required due to fogging from silicone migration/bleeding. For this reason, having a pad that is silicone-free at this high of a thermal conductivity is an incredible product. In addition, and very importantly this material is electrically insulative. Before the inception of this product 12 W/m-K was the highest thermal conductivity to date from Henkel. As I mentioned before, I encourage customers to not look at thermal conductivity for a sole indicator of performance. Thermal impedance, pressure requirement, and bond-line thickness together determine how an 18 W/m-K thermal pad actually performs in a real assembly — a higher W/m-K number on the datasheet does not automatically mean lower operating temperatures at the component.. One small caveat I would like to mention with this pad is that this material requires a tad bit more pressure than your conventional conformable thermal pad. Most thermal pads are designed to be low pressure, so that the ability for the pad to conduct heat is by filling in all the little imperfections. In this case, the pad isWith that said, although the pad requires a little bit more pressure the performance is fantastic.
What 18 W/m-K Means in Practice
A thermal conductivity of 18 W/m-K is the highest rating currently available on a pad that is also electrically insulating. For comparison, the prior generation of high-performance electrically insulating gap pads topped out at 12 W/m-K. Pads with higher conductivity exist (e.g., 40 W/m-K metal-based options), but those are electrically conductive and cannot be used where isolation is required. The 18 W/m-K range therefore represents the practical ceiling for a high thermal conductivity gap pad that also maintains dielectric strength. This makes it the natural fit for AI accelerator boards, high-wattage power supplies, and any application that needs to move significant heat across a component-to-heatsink interface without shorting the underlying circuitry.
Why is GAP PAD TGP 18000SF Such a Big Deal?
GAP PAD TGP 18000SF is such a big deal because having a thermal gap filler with a thermal conductivity of 18 W/m-K- is the HIGHEST thermal conductivity available on the market that is electrically insulating. The 18 W/m-K ceiling is also notable because the TGP 18000SF is silicone-free, which puts it in a small group of pads that combine all three properties (high conductivity, electrical isolation, silicone-free). For a broader look at the silicone-free product family, including lower-conductivity SF-series options from Bergquist/Henkel and Laird Tflex, see our silicone-free gap pad guide. All other pads that we have encountered above this have been electrically conductive. For example, Henkel Thermexit has also the 40000SF that is electrically non-insulating with a thermal conductivity of 40 W/m-K.
Availability of GAP PAD TGP 18000SF
TGP 18000SF comes in a light gray/blue. In addition, it can come with tack on one side, or no tack at all for ease of use when assembling products. The thicknesses of TGP 18000SF range from .020’’ (.5mm) to .125’’ ( 3.175mm). This can be a good fit for a number of different applications.
More Information on GAP PAD TGP 18000SF
NEDC does die-cutting, waterjet-cutting, and other processes to cut thermal interface pads such as TGP 18000SF. For more information on thermal interface pads,or you feel like you have an application that could utilize thermal pads please contact sales@nedc.com.
Datasheet Download for TGP 18000SF