(July 23, 2010) -- Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., U.S. subsidiary of Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., Japan, launched the TC-CA Series, comprised of Shin-Etsu’s advanced polymer and thermally conductive filler

Figure 1. Heat dissipation for semiconductor devices.

composite material technologies. The low-hardness silicone soft pad series of products have both high thermal conductivity and excellent electrical insulation properties for package cooling.
The TC-CA Series also offers excellent cost-performance that meets the growing need for thinner and lighter weight electronic device applications such as those mounted in notebook PCs, LED lighting, hybrid cars and electric cars, etc. Additionally, the “soft pad” materials allow better line-to-line contact between the heat sink and the heat generating component which means more heat transfer−which equates to longer life parts.
Compared to conventional products, the new silicone soft pad product series offer a combination of advanced polymer and thermally conductive filler composite material properties including:
Low-hardness that makes for good compressibility;
Stress-relaxation property that can reduce stress to heat modules;
Excellent workability and processibility;
Low specific gravity
These heat-dissipating thermal interface materials (TIM) are thermally conductive compounds fitted between the heat-generating unit; such as a computer’s CPU, and the heat sink. Depending on the application, it is possible to meet diverse heat-dissipation requirements as each product in the series offers a combination of unique properties from which customers can choose the most appropriate product based on specific application or usage conditions.

Figure 2. Low-hardness thermally conductive silicone soft-pad TC-CA Series.

According to Shin-Etsu’s North America marketing manager Eric Bishop, “The TC-CA series meets the expanding demand for a thermally conductive solution for heat-dissipation applications in the growing number of electronic components in automobiles and LEDs−as well as in PCs, home appliances, and electronic game units. Moreover, due to the increasing miniaturization and higher performance of electronic devices, the need for more effective heat-dissipation materials is further increasing.”
A U.S. subsidiary of Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., Japan, Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc. is a major supplier of silicone materials to North America's medical, automotive, electronics, aerospace, and manufacturing industries.