Dow Corning ® Dispensable Thermal Pads for
Advanced Electronics
Dow Corning® Brand Dispensable Thermal Pads
Offer Your Electronics Applications:
n
Reduced Total Cost of Ownership: As dispensable thermal pads can be
dispensed or printed directly onto a substrate, they potentially reduce material
costs by 30 to 60 percent by eliminating the waste more common to conventional
fabricated thermal pads. This capability also allows dispensable thermal pads to
help accelerate manufacturing cycles, further minimizing costs.
n
Enhanced Reliability: Dispensable thermal pads contribute to more reliable product
performance by protecting against impact, shock and thermal cycling. They also
pose a lower risk of drying out compared to conventional thermal grease, which is
important for outdoor lighting applications.
n
Enhanced Design and Thermal Management: Offering thermal conductivity as
high as 2.5 W/mK, dispensable thermal pads also eliminate the need for fiberglass
carriers used in conventional fabricated pads. Thus, the technology can enable
thinner bond lines and excellent compression, yet deliver higher thermal resistance.
n
Expanded Manufacturing Latitudes: Dispensable thermal pads are compatible
with a wide range of efficient application processes, including standard screen or
stencil print, or via standard dispensing equipment. The materials easily conform
to complex and unevenly shaped substrates and cure in place, helping increase
throughput and provide greater flexibility over deposited layer thickness.
From LED lighting to telecom
applications, the pressure is on
electronics manufacturers to maximize
the reliability and minimize the total
cost of their products. As a result, the
need for more innovative and costeffective thermal management
is as high as ever, and Dow Corning®
Dispensable Thermal Pads deliver.
Offering a versatile, cost-effective
alternative to pre-fabricated thermal
pads, Dow Corning’s innovative
new product line now enables
manufacturers to quickly and precisely
print a layer of thermally conductive
silicone compound in controllable
thicknesses on complex substrates.
Moreover, dispensable thermal pad
technology ensures excellent thermal
management properties and reduced
manufacturing cost.
Dow Corning ®
Dispensable Thermal Pads
for Advanced Electronics
Benefits of Dow Corning Dispensable Pads
LED Lamp and Luminaire
Lower total cost
of ownership
n Better thermal
performance
n No dry-out compared
to traditional grease
n Longer pot life
n Reworkable
n
Telecom
Thermal Performance Benchmarking
Thickness vs. Pressure
1.2
10
1
Thickness (mm)
Thermal Resistance (K-cmˆ2/W)
Thermal Resistance vs. Thickness
12
8
6
4
0.6
0.4
0.2
2
0
0.8
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
0
10
20
30
Dow Corning® TC-4015 Thermal Pad, 1.7 W/mk
Dow Corning® TC-4025 Thermal Pad, 2.5 W/mk
50
60
70
80
Dow Corning® TC-4015 Thermal Pad
Dow Corning® TC-4025 Thermal Pad
Competitor 1 Pad, 1.2 W/mk
Competitor 1 Pad, 3.0 W/mk
Competitor 2 Pad, 1.5 W/mk
Thermal pad is soft and compresses to thinner bond lines with
increased pressure.
Dispensable pad outperforms fabricated pad on lower thermal resistance.
Thermal Resistance vs. Thickness
Reliability Test of Dow Corning® TC-4025 Thermal Pad
10
4.5
Thermal Resistance (K-cmˆ2/W)
Thermal Resistance (K-cmˆ2/W)
40
Pressure (psi)
Thickness (mm)
8
6
4
2
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Thickness (mm)
Dow Corning® TC-4015 Thermal Pad, 1.7 W/mk
Dow Corning® TC-4025 Thermal Pad, 2.5 W/mk
Thermal resistance of Dow Corning® TC-4015 and Dow Corning® TC-4025
Dispensable Thermal Pads increase with thickness.
4.0
3.5
3.0
+
x
2.5
2.0
x
xx
1.5
+
++
x
x
1.0
.50
0.0
0
200
400
Time 0
85°C, 85% RH, 500 hrs.
Thermal Shock, 500 cycles
x 85°C, 85% RH, 1000 hrs.
600
800
1000
1200
BLT (µm)
Thermal Shock, 1000 cycles
Dow Corning® TC-4025 Thermal Pad, 85°C, 85% RH, 2k hrs. average
+ Dow Corning® TC-4025 Thermal Pad, -40~125°C, 2K cycles average
Samples are cured into thin sheets 0.25-1 mm thick and then brought
for reliability tests: 85°C/85%, thermal shock -40~125°C. Thermal
resistance after reliability test (500, 1000, 2000 hrs/cycles) obtained
based on ASTM 5470 standard and compared with time 0 testing.
Product Features and Technical Details
Dow Corning’s line of dispensable thermal pads currently encompasses four products,
distinguished by varying levels of thermal conductivity with or without controlled
bond line thicknesses.
Material Properties
Dispensable Thermal Pad
Key Properties
Units
One- or Two-Part
Mix Ratio
Dow Corning®
TC-4025 Dispensable
Thermal Pad
Dow Corning®
TC-4026 Dispensable
Thermal Pad
Dow Corning®
TC-4015 Dispensable
Thermal Pad
Dow Corning®
TC-4016 Dispensable
Thermal Pad
two-part
two-part
two-part
two-part
1:1
1:1
1:1
1:1
Viscosity
cP
A:73000
B:74000
A:73000
B:74000
A:104000
B:124000
A:104000
B:124000
Mixed Viscosity
cP
70000
70000
103000
103000
blue
blue
blue
blue
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2.83
2.83
2.6063
2.6063
Color
Bleed
%
Specific Gravity
Working Time at 25°C
hours
>3
>3
4
4
Cure Time at 25°C
hours
24
24
24
24
minutes
40 minutes (75°C)
15 minutes (100°C)
10 minutes (120°C)
40 minutes (75°C)
15 minutes (100°C)
10 minutes (120°C)
48 minutes (75°C)
16 minutes (100°C)
10 minutes (120°C)
48 minutes (75°C)
16 minutes (100°C)
10 minutes (120°C)
50
50
50
50
%
209
209
262
262
Heat Cure Time
Durometer Shore 00
Elongation
Thermal Conductivity
W/mK
2.5
2.5
1.71
1.71
Thermal Resistance
@ 40 psi
°C*cm2/W
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Dielectric Strength
kV/mm
18
18
18
18
Dielectric Constant
6.4 (100kHz)
6.4 (100kHz)
5.78
5.78
Dissipation Factor
0.001 (100kHz)
0.001 (100kHz)
0.002 (100kHz)
0.002 (100kHz)
3.90E+12
3.90E+12
5.18E+12
5.18E+12
UL94 V-0
UL94 V-0
UL94 V-0
UL94 V-0
without
with
without
with
Volume Resistivity
ohm*cm
Agency Listing
Glass Beads
Process Guidance
Manual or Automatic Printing
• Manual (manual mix + manual printing)
• Semi-automatic (manual mix + programmable printing)
• Printing modes: screen/stencil printing (thickness, design)
Automatic Dispensing with Static Mixer
How can we help you today?
Tell us about your performance, design and manufacturing
challenges. Let us put our silicon-based materials expertise,
application knowledge and processing experience to work
for you.
For more information about our materials and capabilities,
visit dowcorning.com.
To discuss how we could work together to meet your specific
needs, email electronics@dowcorning.com or go to
dowcorning.com/contactus for a contact close to your location.
Dow Corning has customer service teams, science and
technology centers, application support teams, sales offices
and manufacturing sites around the globe.
Images: Page 1: AV16700, AV16447, AV20983; Page 2: AV16438, AV20982, AV21065; Page 3: AV16641,
AV21056, AV16291; Page 4: AV12934
LIMITED WARRANTY INFORMATION – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
The information contained herein is offered in good faith and is believed to be accurate. However, because
conditions and methods of use of our products are beyond our control, this information should not be used
in substitution for customer’s tests to ensure that our products are safe, effective and fully satisfactory for the
intended end use. Suggestions of use shall not be taken as inducements to infringe any patent.
Dow Corning’s sole warranty is that our products will meet the sales specifications in effect at the time of shipment.
Your exclusive remedy for breach of such warranty is limited to refund of purchase price or replacement of
any product shown to be other than as warranted.
DOW CORNING SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY OTHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY
OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR MERCHANTABILITY.
DOW CORNING DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.
Dow Corning is a registered trademark of Dow Corning Corporation.
We help you invent the future is a trademark of Dow Corning Corporation.
©2013 Dow Corning Corporation. All rights reserved.
AMPM262-13
Form No. 11-3401-01