What is a Thermal Interface Material (TIM)?
The purpose of a thermal interface material (or TIM) is to aid in the transfer of heat between two paired materials such as a semiconductor and a heat sink.
Although it may be possible to see how smooth two solid surfaces are, there will always be small imperfections that result in poor thermal conductivity. Greases are a popular choice for TIMs because of their ability to flow for easy application.
What are suitable Apiezon products for use as thermal interface materials?
Manufactured by M&I Materials Ltd, Apiezon hydrocarbon greases are inherently creep resistant, meaning they stay in place (see our Hydrocarbons & Silicones white paper), and have very good heat transfer properties. These characteristics are ideal for TIMs that need to transfer heat quickly.
This is especially important in electrical equipment, where these greases also happen to have high resistivity. If you are looking for a heat transfer grease for use in electrical equipment, Apiezon Hydrocarbon Grease is an excellent choice.
Apiezon N grease was used to hold the samples in the cryostat. With its ability to resist cracking (microcrack formation) at low temperatures, it has been used down to 1.6K (see Apiezon Specialty Hydrocarbon Based Greases for Low Temperature Applications), but this is not our product Individual greases in the series can be used as TIM.
In addition to all these inherent advantages as a hydrocarbon grease, Apiezon H Grease does not melt at high temperatures. With a thermal conductivity of 0.216 W/m °C at 20°C, Apiezon H Grease is the heat transfer grease of choice for many applications.
