Does anyone know a brand of forever lasting thermal paste? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: adjustttt
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2017, 12:26:51 pm
content: Hi everyone, does anyone on here know a thermal paste that lasts forever egneverdries up?Thanks

author: whatsthegeek
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2017, 02:05:18 pm
content: You could probably use some thermal paste used for PCs.Here are a few brands:- Arctic (https://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-Compound-Performance-Heatsink-Interface/dp/B0045JCFLY)- Noctua (https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NT-H1-Thermal-Compound-Retail/dp/B002CQU14A/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1513605832&sr=1-1&keywords=noctua+thermal+paste)- CoolerMaster (https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-HTK002U1-Thermal-Compound/dp/B01M4MBQ21/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1513605870&sr=1-2&keywords=coolermaster+thermal+paste)These are quit expensive but last a realy long time !

author: rancor
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2017, 03:15:41 pm
content: A silicone based thermal paste should never dry out but are not the best performing compounds. If you need extreme performance liquid metal thermal interfaces like thermal grizzly conductonaut or coollaboratory Liquid Ultra will work but cannot touch aluminium.

author: noidea
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 18, 2017, 04:02:53 pm
content: I've used this in the past for the power components in the outdoor units of inverter driven air conditioners. I'm not sure about forever but stuff taken apart after a couple of years has shown no trace of drying out.https://www.electrolube.com/products/thermal-management/htsp/silicone_pastes/

author: perieanuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2017, 05:50:06 pm
content: Quote from: noidea on December 18, 2017, 04:02:53 pmPut thermal padsEnvoyé de mon HUAWEI NXT-L29 en utilisant Tapatalk

author: adjustttt
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2017, 07:47:26 pm
content: Thanks everyone!

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2017, 02:45:14 am
content: Depends on just what your usage is.Filling micro-voids between component and heatsink, a silicone grease works well.If conductivity is essential....stud diodes SCR's etc, then a zinc oxide filled silicone compound is the way to go.Messy shite it is but I've still got a 20g tube I bought ~20 years ago from RS and while getting a little stiff now it's still quite usable.

author: Decoman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2017, 08:18:21 am
content: If considering thermal pads, note that pads are different. Some are not soft at all, others are softer than chewed chewing gum. I am not sure they necessarily add any adhesive effect either.Hopefully somebody else here knows more about thermal pads, as my experience with those is limited.

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2017, 05:58:22 am
content: I've never heard of ordinary zinc oxide or silver thermal paste of the type that comes with CPU heat sinks drying up. It shouldn't happen. In my experience, CPUs removed after years of service still have goopy thermal paste. That isn't "forever", but I have no reason to think that more time would make a difference. What can happen is that the squeeze out collects a crusty layer of dust on the surface that makes it look dry.Can you explain what problem you have had that you are trying to solve?

author: perieanuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2017, 06:42:19 am
content: Quote from: ejeffrey on December 21, 2017, 05:58:22 amI worked in Paris servicing laptops 2 years. Seen over 200 laptops with dry paste, laptops younger then 3 years. It was in 2010-12.of course it dries. Depending on the lot used in factory more or less. Never seen a pad dry...Envoyé de mon HUAWEI NXT-L29 en utilisant Tapatalk

author: perieanuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2017, 07:25:32 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on December 21, 2017, 06:46:49 amYou're right almost everywhere. You can get smaller than 0.5 mm... Personally I use silver grease for pcs but even that can get dry.Newer processors does not goes to 115 normally with balanced tasks. Ever. If you game, can always buy a specialised solution...The real pb is the mounting cooler system don't let you put easily any other than pasteSo ok for silver greaseEnvoyé de mon HUAWEI NXT-L29 en utilisant Tapatalk

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2017, 07:50:12 am
content: I used to make my own thermal paste, using zinc oxide powder ( pharmaceutical grade, ultra fine powder with a consistency of water when absolutely dry) and some Dow Corning silicone grease, using acetone as a blending agent to get them to blend. After making a kilo I would simply leave the open tin outdoors for a few days ( cover with a cloth to keep dust out) and the 40C afternoon heat would boil off the acetone, leaving the paste behind.The performance depends on the grease base, you need a grease with a high melting point, and this is almost a wax at room temperature, as there are no light short chains that will boil off, which is what makes the paste dry out. Makes it hard to blend, so there will almost always be some volatile agents added to make it workable. These will evaporate with time and high temperatures, so that is why the pastes dry out. Only way to not have them dry out is to use a thermoset plastic as transfer medium, which is why you get the film thermal pads that melt during the first temperature cycle, and the heat cures them when molten into a solid mass that no longer loses volatile compounds.