As semiconductor power densities climb, the thermal interface material between a heat-generating component and its heatsink becomes a limiting factor in system performance. The T-top98-s thermal pad from LiPOLY is engineered for applications where conventional thermal pads cannot move heat fast enough. With a thermal conductivity rating of 18.0 W/m·K and a thermal impedance of just 0.149 °C-in²/W at 10 psi, it targets the upper tier of the Extreme Series and addresses the thermal demands of high-end chips, 5G infrastructure, and densely packed telecommunications hardware.
Sitting near the top of LiPOLY’s Extreme Series lineup, the T-top98-s delivers 18.0 W/m·K of thermal conductivity (ASTM D5470) in a silicone-based formulation engineered for high compressibility and extremely low thermal impedance. It is a meaningful step up in performance from the T-work8000 at 15.0 W/m·K, and it targets applications where heat density is too high for mid-range gap fillers but where the 20.0 W/m·K rating of the T-work9000 is more than the thermal budget requires.
T-top98-s Specifications
The T-top98-s is an extreme thermal conductivity silicone pad rated at 18.0 W/m·K per ASTM D5470 and 10.5 W/m·K per ISO 22007-2. The critical figure for designers is the thermal impedance: 0.149 °C-in²/W at 10 psi of contact pressure. This low impedance reflects the material’s ability to conform to mating surfaces under modest clamping force, which matters in assemblies where mounting features cannot handle excessive bolt-down load. The pad features a high compression rate and is specifically designed for uneven surface applications, effectively filling microscopic gaps and reducing contact thermal resistance.
Typical properties:
- Thermal conductivity: 18.0 W/m·K (ASTM D5470); 10.5 W/m·K (ISO 22007-2)
- Thermal impedance: 0.149 °C-in²/W @ 10 psi
- Color: Purple (visual identification)
- Surface tack: 2-side or 1-side options
- Thickness: Customized (ASTM D374)
- Operating temperature: -60°C to 150°C
- Density: 3.3 g/cm³ (ASTM D792)
- Hardness: 65 Shore OOO (ASTM D2240)
- Total mass loss (TML): < 0.1%
- Electrical insulation: Excellent
- ROHS / REACH compliant
For complete technical specifications, download the T-top98-s datasheet (PDF).
The 65 Shore OOO hardness places the T-top98-s in the ultra-soft category, the same rating as the T-work9000. That softness means it conforms to surface irregularities and handles coplanarity issues in multi-component thermal assemblies, wetting out against mating surfaces to minimize contact thermal resistance.
Applications Where T-top98-s Excels
The 18.0 W/m·K rating puts the T-top98-s in the range for high-heat-flux applications where lower-performing materials create thermal bottlenecks:
- Between CPU and heat sink in systems where thermal design power pushes past the limits of commodity pads
- Between a component and heat sink where surface irregularities require a conformable gap filler
- Flat-panel displays where thermal management protects driver electronics and extends panel life
- Power supplies where MOSFETs and inductors share a thermal plane under sustained load
- High speed mass storage drives where compact form factors concentrate heat in tight spaces
- Telecommunication hardware operating in environmentally controlled cabinets with limited airflow
- 5G base station and infrastructure where densely packed RF chains generate concentrated heat loads
- High-end chips where die-to-heatsink thermal resistance directly governs maximum clock speed and longevity
In each of these cases, the T-top98-s’s silicone base provides the dielectric strength needed to isolate electrically live components from grounded heatsinks. The excellent electrical insulation eliminates the need for a separate mica washer or polyimide film in most assemblies, removing one interface layer from the thermal path and lowering total thermal resistance.
T-top98-s and the LiPOLY Extreme Series
The T-top98-s belongs to the LiPOLY Extreme Series, a family of thermal gap fillers built on the same silicone platform and available in die-cut form through NEDC. The series spans a range of conductivity ratings, allowing designers to match thermal performance to the specific heat flux of the target application without changing the mechanical design.
For lower thermal loads, the T-work7000 provides 11.0 W/m·K at a lower price point. The T-work8000 steps up to 15.0 W/m·K with 0.185 °C-in²/W impedance, targeting mid-to-high power applications. At the top of the series, the T-work9000 reaches 20.0 W/m·K with an impedance of just 0.110 °C-in²/W, suitable for the most demanding AI accelerator and high-power RF amplifier applications.
The T-top98-s fills the gap between the T-work8000 and the T-work9000, giving designers an 18.0 W/m·K option when 15 W/m·K is not enough but 20 W/m·K exceeds the requirement. Scaling within the series means you can maintain the same die-cut geometry and supplier process while adjusting thermal performance, which simplifies qualification and keeps the supply chain predictable.
Custom Die-Cut Supply Through NEDC
NEDC converts T-top98-s into custom-configured parts using die-cutting, waterjet cutting, and laser cutting depending on the material thickness and geometry. This means the pad arrives at your production line as a ready-to-place part, sized to the housing, PCB feature, or heatsink pocket it was designed for. Available in both sheet form and die-cut parts, the T-top98-s can be supplied to match the volume and format your assembly process requires.
Kiss-cut tape-and-reel formats are also available for automated pick-and-place assembly. NEDC’s engineering team can advise on optimal thickness selection based on the available gap and clamping force in the assembly, ensuring the pad compresses correctly to achieve the published impedance figures.
For a complete overview of NEDC’s thermal pad offerings, visit thermal pads at NEDC.
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Need a custom T-top98-s die-cut part? Contact NEDC with your specifications.