Global electro-chemicals manufacturer, Electrolube, is consistently developing new materials to protect LED-based systems and its associated driver electronics from a host of environmental factors and have recently launched an innovative new Surface-Cure Thermal Paste (SCTP) which is extremely stable during even the harshest thermal shock testing.
SCTP is a highly effective and efficient thermal interface material, designed to fill gaps that naturally exist between two metal surfaces placed one upon the other, dramatically improving the effective range of surface area for heat transfer. Unlike other RTV materials, one of the key properties of SCTP is that it does not set. The material remains malleable when rework of components is required, significantly reducing any delays in production waiting for through-cure to occur.
The product is specifically designed to resist pump-out of the thermal interface layer from the bond line, ensuring minimal degradation of effective heat dissipation. It is especially suited to applications that are exposed to rapid and frequent changes in temperature, as such conditions are known to exaggerate the pump-out effect of standard thermal pastes, which SCTP completely eliminates. SCTP also has excellent thermal stability up to 200⁰C.
The physical application of SCTP couldn't be simpler and enables easy application of thin layers. The material can be applied using conventional industrial dispensing equipment and can also be applied via screen/stencil printing directly onto the contact surfaces. In addition, SCTP does not contain any solvents and due to its ease of application, it is possible to apply very thin films, therefore minimising the effects of thermal resistance at the interface and offering much greater stability over the lifetime of the device when compared to conventional heat transfer systems.
Electrolube’s industry-leading knowledge of LED lighting, environmental and thermal protection systems is supported by a newly published, multi-lingual LED-focused brochure documenting the results of some of the company's key research projects and providing examples of its products’ applications in real-world situations.