With all the unique challenges that are faced today in electronics, the topic of heat inevitably comes up. Oftentimes, thermal pads are used to rid electronics of heat. The reason thermal pads are used it to remove air-gaps between heat generating components, and the heat sink. One of the keys to removing air-gaps is how well the material wets out onto both the heat-sink and the heat generating component. Considering some unique topologies these surfaces may present, the ability to wet-out properly is paramount to how well the material performs overall. Thermal pads softness arguably play the biggest part in the ability of the material to wet-out and allow for better thermal performance than harder counter parts. This fact does a good job in illustrating that thermal conductivity is not everything.
Why S-Class Gap Pads? (Soft Gap Pads)
Henkels’ Bergquist has a few unique thermal solutions in the S-Class Gap Pads. These soft Gap Pads are among the highest performing pads that also feature a low modulus. These pads feature good thermal conductivity coupled with a low hardness value that combines to allow for a low thermal impedance. The metric of thermal impedance tells a much better story than bulk thermal conductivity. Thermal pads softness is very important to thermal performance. A helpful example is Gap Pad A2000 has the same thermal conductivity as Gap Pad 2000S40 but the chart below shows a different story when it comes to thermal impedance. The same phenomenon can be seen with Gap Pad A3000, and Gap Pad 3000S30. In addition to this chart, you can feel the difference in each pads conformability, Gap Pad A3000, and Gap Pad A2000 conformability difference is palpable.
Which GAP PADs are in S-Class? (soft Gap Pads)
-Gap Pad 3000S30 aka GAP PAD TGP 3000 / 3 W/m-K, Color Light Blue, Thicknesses Available: 0.020”-0.125”
-Gap Pad 5000S35 aka GAP PAD TGP 5000 / 5 W/m-K, Color Green, Thicknesses Available: 0.020”-0.125”
-Gap Pad 2500S20 aka GAP PAD TGP 2400 / 2.4 W/m-K, Color Yellow, Thicknesses Available: 0.010”-0.250”
-Gap Pad 2000S40 aka GAP PAD TGP 2000 / 2.0 W/m-K, Color Gray, Thicknesses Available: 0.020-0.125”
-Gap Pad 1500S30 aka GAP PAD TGP 1300 / 1.3 W/m-K, Color White/Pink, Thicknesses Available: .020”-0.250”
More Information
NEDC manufactures thermal pads through die-cutting, and waterjet cutting. In addition, NEDC offers full sheets for sale. If you are looking for soft gap pads, or you feel you have an application that could utilize S-Class Gap Pads, please contact sales@nedc.com.
GAP PAD Datasheet Downloads:
Gap Pad 3000S30 aka GAP PAD TGP 3000
Gap Pad 5000S35 aka GAP PAD TGP 5000
Gap Pad 2500S20 aka GAP PAD TGP 2400
Gap Pad 2000S40 aka GAP PAD TGP 2000
Gap Pad 1500S30 aka GAP PAD TGP 1300