Thermal Interface Materials: Transfer Heat Between Solid Surfaces

Boyd's broad thermal interface material technology portfolio exemplifies our deep TIMs understanding and utilization. Leverage our material science heritage, supplier relationships, and TIM expertise developed from decades of experience to pick the best thermal interface material for your application.

Thermally Conductive Adhesive Tapes combine mechanical attachment with thermal conductivity in a thin bond line of acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA). Boyd’s Transtherm® adhesive tapes use silicone-free acrylic for sensitive applications. Easy peel-and-stick application adhesive tapes reduce installation time by replacing mechanical attachment hardware like springs and screws. Reinforcement material options increase mechanical stability and typically feature double-sided adhesive for integrated, multifunctional assembly.

Thermally Conductive Gap Fillers are soft, malleable interface materials with high thermal conductivity for applications with large gaps between heat sources and cooling surfaces, varying component heights, high tolerance stack-up variability, and uneven or rough surfaces. Gap fillers dampen vibration and reduce component stress or warping in challenging environments. Boyd’s Transtherm® Gap Fillers are gel-like materials that fall into three groups: Silicone Gap Fillers, Silicone-Free Gap Fillers, and Putty-type Gap Fillers.

Thermal Rubber Pads are a relatively high durometer, silicone-based material with thermally conductive fillers like aluminum oxide or boron nitride. Replace thermal interface hardware with robust and compliant polyimide sheet- or fiberglass-reinforced rubber pads. Transtherm® rubber materials combine high thermal conductivity and electrical isolation into a single component and maintain high dielectric strength even at high temperatures.

With low mass and high heat transfer capabilities, Graphite Pads & Films are high heat spreading TIMs available in ultra-thin and lightweight configurations. The sheet-like graphene molecules in graphite offer superior in-plane thermal conductivity. Graphite films come in two main forms: Pyrolytic Graphite (PG) or Pyrolytic Graphite Sheets (PGS) and Annealed Pyrolytic Graphite (APG), also known as Thermally Annealed Pyrolytic Graphite (TPG). Boyd’s proprietary manufacturing technologies and product design reduces graphite particulates from the naturally flaky material and introduces electrical isolation.

Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are silicone-free, paraffin-based wax materials that change phase at a formulated temperature. PCM provides excellent temperature control, close contact between surfaces, and minimal thermal resistance with its thin bond line and high wettability at low mounting forces.

Thermally Conductive Thin Films are flexible polyimide materials with excellent physical and electrical isolation properties. These lightweight films are radiation resistant and withstand harsh environments making them ideal to ruggedize your product.

Thermal grease or thermal paste is a spreadable compound specially designed for high thermal conductivity with thin bond lines. Thermal Greases contain filler particles that increase the overall mixture conductivity. When using thermal grease, optimize performance with spring mounted hardware. Boyd evenly and consistently applies a thermal grease pattern designed for specific mounting conditions and ships assemblies with a shield to protect grease from application to installation.

Thermal epoxy offers high voltage isolation between surfaces creating a strong mechanical bond. Thermal epoxy acts as both a thermal interface material and a mounting method to reduce mounting hardware. Epoxies’ relatively low shrinkage and low coefficients of thermal expansion enable them to easily bond to metals, ceramics, most plastics, and a wide variety of other materials.