A thermal conductive pad is a thermal interface materials(TIMs) and an easy to use alternative to conventional thermal paste that is used for larger gaps or for cooling sensitive components.

The best thickness for a high quality thermal pads varies depending on the size and weight of the component it's designed for. Generally speaking, thinner thermal pads are best for low-profile and lightweight components, while thicker pads are best for large and heavy components. For example, the heat that needs to be transferred, the pressure required, etc. Typically, the thickness of a silicone thermal pads is between 0.5mm ~ 12mm.

Generally according to the gap thickness. Choose the appropriate thickness according to the data provided by the customer. It's generally recommended to compress 5 ~ 25% of the thickness to be close to the gap thickness. For example, if the thickness of the gap is 1.5mm, a product of 2.0mm can be recommended, because the product of 2.0 is compressed to the same thickness as the gap after being compressed by 25%. A product of this thickness can ensure that the gap is filled without causing excessive stress.

The thermal pad should always be as thin as possible. AOK recommend soft silicone thermal pads, because they can be compressed better. In principle, several thermal pads can be placed on top of each other, but this is only recommended if irregularities in the surfaces make this absolutely necessary and the gap cannot otherwise be bridged. If a large gap must be bridged, an aluminum or copper plate should be used in addition to the thermal pad. A thermal pad should then be attached to each contact surface.

It's important that the thermal pad covers the entire surface of the component. To do this, you either buy the corresponding prefabricated size, such as for heat sink thermal pad, or a larger pad and cut this to size as required. The thickness of the thermal pad is also important.

If you would like to learn more about AOK performance thermal materials, please visit our website at www.aok-technologies.com.