P-THERM® Gap Fillers

When a heat source is mated to a heat sink, there are air gaps both visible and microscopic. Thermal gap fillers refer to thermal interface materials that fill gaps between heat generating components and heat dissipating surfaces. Polymer Science gap fillers are UL94 V0 rated. Because air is a poor thermal conductor, filling gaps with materials like conductive silicone increases the rate of heat transfer between surfaces. In electronic applications, an optimal gap filler material should be conformable to intricate surfaces and offer high thermal conductivity with low thermal resistance.

Polymer Science designs thermal gap filler pads, conductive two-part dispensables, silicone gap filler materials and non-silicone formulations. Choosing the best gap filler material largely depends on the manufacturing process and the requirements of the electronics.  Solid gap fillers are incredibly easy to manage and create no mess when applied. More forgiving than liquid or dispensable gap fillers, thermal pads are fully repositionable during assembly.

Dispensable gap fillers offer a lower weight, smaller gap and lower impedance for better heat flow than solid materials. After the initial capital expenditure, dispensable gap fillers are more economical than a solid gap filler.  Dispensable thermal management materials enable precise application for high-volume manufacturing operations. In many applications, one gap filler may be used across multiple heat sources or irregular surfaces and still provide low compression forces. Within the most intricate designs, a two-part dispensable may reduce defect rates because it is more permanent than a solid gap filler. Because surface wetting is exceptional, less material is required to form bonds. Perhaps the most unique quality of P-THERM® Dispensables is curing and viscosity. Polymer Science P-THERM® Gap fillers cure in place at room temperature, but our engineers are able to tune curing times and viscosity to suit the specific manufacturing process.

Polymer Science offers a wide variety of solutions in both dispensable gap fillers and solid gap fillers. Wherever there is a heat source, Polymer Science has material to bridge the gap to the heat sink. Variations include hypersoft gap fillers, ultrasoft gap fillers, soft gap fillers, dispensables and emerging products including intumescent technology and flame barrier products. Thermal conductivities range from 1-5 W/m K with various colors available.

In many industries, there are benefits to increasing performance through compaction and weight reduction. For advanced batteries, consumer electronics, electric vehicles and other applications, Polymer Science’s P-THERM® Two-part dispensables offer a number of distinct advantages. These dispensables are designed to address two primary challenges faced by many industries: managing higher energy requirements and using less material than conventional solid gap fillers.

P-THERM® two-part dispensables are an ideal solution for mating heat-producing surfaces to a heat sink. They are also lightweight, have thin bond lines, and possess form-in-place qualities that benefit a wide range of applications and manufacturing processes. Polymer Science works with manufacturers to suit your process including curing time and viscosity. This tunability makes them suitable for intricate applications and complex manufacturing processes.

Electric Vehicles (EV)

It has been estimated every 7 kg of overall weight reduction adds nearly 1 additional mile of range to an electric vehicle, so weight reduction in all aspects of EV design is critical to improvements in the technology. Dispensable thermal gap fillers are exceptionally effective and significantly reduce weight within batteries and throughout EV vehicles.

Advanced Battery

Advances in batteries continue to push electric design forward. Dispensables are invaluable between the individual battery cells for thermal dissipation in EV, appliances and consumer electronics. Beyond thermal dissipation, gap fillers act as a vibration dampener. Within most battery designs, there is a module housing individual cells. Two-part dispensables can be used between these cells and the housing to manage heat.

Power Converters

Power converters are needed to transform DC stored energy to AC kinetic energy in the motors or convert DC energy from the battery to the DC power requirement of an accessory system within the EV. During battery charging, gap fillers dissipate heat to protect delicate components and aid in advancing the efficiency of the charging system.

LED Lighting

An LED is cool to the touch because thermal management materials dissipate the heat generated from the LED which may reach temperatures as high as  3,000-6,000 degrees Kelvin. There are many small components within lighting that benefit from Polymer Science’s P-THERM® Dispensables and other gap fillers.

General Electrical Components

Throughout smart devices, appliances, automobiles, electric vehicles and more, gap fillers are vital to transferring heat between surfaces.

Smart Phones

Gap fillers are used throughout devices. Two-part dispensables fill gaps across irregular surfaces. They are also used to provide weather proofing around casings and help absorb shocks to the device.

Circuit Boards

A unique quality of two-part dispensables is their use with circuit boards. Dispensables can be poured across a circuit board to dissipate heat during use as well as provide electrical isolation to prevent a short circuit to nearby components.

General Applications

Anywhere heat production and dissipation may be a concern, gap fillers and two-part dispensables can be used: EV, aerospace, consumer electronics, computers and many other applications.