At NEDC, thermal management is close to our core as a company. Most times when companies think of thermal management, they think of Thermal Gap Filler products. The opposite problem to solve is making sure heat doesn’t go in a certain direction. Gap Fillers direct it, and heat insulation resists it.
Silicone Foam as Thermal Insulation
Simultaneously, silicone foam/silicone sponge are also one of our main types of gasketing materials that we offer to our customers. Most of the time, they are used as gasketing materials. However, from time to time we see them used as heat insulating products as well. Silicone foam/sponge are great thermal insulators for a few reasons:
- They are blown materials, so the cells hold off transfer of heat well.
- They have high heat resistance. Many silicone foam rubbers are capable of going above 350°F.
- They resist a compression set, even after strenuous heat exposure.
The K Factor/Measurements of Thermal Insulation
Typically, heat insulation is measured in what is called the “K Factor”. It represents the materials ability to conduct heat. It’s expressed in units of BTU-in / hr – ft² – °F. Below we mention some common silicone foams we deal with.
Materials Silicone Foam(click for datasheet)
BF-1000 Open Cell Silicone Foam 0.38 BTU-in / hr – ft² – °F (.054 W/m °K)
BF-2000 Open Cell Silicone Foam 0.33 BTU-in / hr – ft² – °F (.048 W/m °K)
HT-800 Closed Cell Silicone Foam 0.52 BTU-in / hr – ft² – °F (.076 W/m °K)
HT-820 Closed Cell Silicone Foam 0.624 BTU-in / hr – ft² – °F (.090 W/m °K)
HT-840 Closed Cell Silicone Foam 0.624 BTU-in / hr – ft² – °F (.090 W/m °K)
HT-870 Closed Cell Silicone Foam 0.41 BTU-in / hr – ft² – °F (.060 W/m °K)
Separately, from silicone foam insulation, we also deal with general insulation materials such as polyimide foam, melamine foam, and other closed/open cell foam materials that can help with managing thermal issues.
More Information
For more information on heat insulating products that can be die-cut, please contact sales@nedc.com.