Beyond Temperature: How Thermal Pads Perform Under Vibration, Humidity, and Chemical Exposure
A thermal interface material might perform perfectly on a lab bench. But what happens inside a vibrating agricultural vehicle, a humid coastal telecom cabinet, or an automotive engine control unit (ECU) splashed with road salts and oils? For harsh environment applications, standard tests are not enough.
Performance Under Stress:
- Mechanical Vibration & Shock: Materials must resist “cold flow” or creep. Phase change pads that resolidify after the first heat cycle essentially “lock” the interface, maintaining contact pressure and preventing gap formation under constant vibration—a key reason they are specified for automotive and transportation electronics.
- Moisture & Chemical Resistance: Materials should be inert and non-hygroscopic. Exposure to humidity or condensation must not cause swelling, degradation of thermal properties, or corrosion-promoting reactions with the mating surfaces.
- Thermal Cycling in Aggressive Environments: Combined stresses are the real test. A material might survive temperature cycles in a dry chamber but fail when cycling occurs in a humid or corrosive atmosphere, leading to delamination or loss of adhesion.
Selecting for Harsh Duty:
Look for suppliers who test beyond MIL-STD thermal cycling. Ask about:
- Damp Heat Testing (e.g., 85°C/85% RH)
- Salt Spray (Fog) Resistance
- Fluid Compatibility tests with common industrial chemicals
For applications where failure is not an option, the TIM is a critical reliability component. Our materials are subjected to these extended environmental validations to ensure they deliver not just performance, but unwavering performance where it matters most.
