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Dow has announced the launch of DOWSIL™ TC-3120 Thermal Gel, a silicone-based material designed to optimize heat transfers and provide optical-grade cleanliness. It has the highest thermal conductivity (~12 W/m·K) among Dow’s commercially available silicone gels and is designed to minimize oil bleeding and condensed outgassing – contaminants that can reduce the reliability of optics and electronics.
The superior thermal conductivity of DOWSIL™ TC-3120 Thermal Gel enables its use with 800G and 1.6T optical modules, dense electronics and high-speed data applications, which can generate significant amounts of heat. Applications include optical transceivers, telecommunications, electronic module assemblies, autonomous vehicles and automotive electronic controllers.
The optical cleanliness of this new material helps reduce the risk of contamination in photodiodes, optical fibers and lenses. DOWSIL™ TC-3120 Thermal Gel is supplied as a flowable paste and can be pressed to a minimum bondline thickness of 200 µm for effective heat transfers. This one-part, reworkable material can fill large gaps, and curing can be accelerated with heat.
Although DOWSIL™ TC-3120 Thermal Gel is highly loaded with thermally conductive fillers, this ultra-high-Kappa (ultra-high K) material is readily dispensable and supports controlled extrusion rates. That is unusual among ultra-high-K materials that combine high dielectric constants and ultra-high thermal conductivity.
Many such materials also release silicone oil and may not readily support a consistent bond line thickness during production. The minimization of oil bleeding for the DOWSIL™ TC-3120 Thermal Gel helps reduce contamination to sensitive components, interference with adhesion and resulting optical failures.
“DOWSIL™ TC-3120 Thermal Gel maximizes thermal transfers without sacrificing reliability, especially in optical and high-speed data applications,” said Cathy Chu, Global Strategic Marketing Director, Consumer & Electronics, Dow. “It is also highly efficient to process.”
Among its advantages, DOWSIL™ TC-3120 Thermal Gel is designed to withstand high temperatures and humidity, shock and vibration, and repeated thermal cycling. It forms a stable interface that resists cracking and remains in place when subjected to mechanical stresses. In addition, it resists slumping in vertically oriented modules like optical transceivers. This new material is recommended for module-to-heatsink interfaces with tolerance stackups or uneven surfaces.
DOWSIL™ TC-3120 Thermal Gel is the newest addition to Dow™ Cooling Science, a system-level approach to thermal management that combines materials with testing and engineering expertise to help customers design cooler, more reliable, and more efficient electronic systems.
DOWSIL™ TC-3120 Thermal Gel is available globally.
