Henkel Adhesive Technologies

Henkel Adhesive Technologies

Thermal management solutions

Unlock peak performance for your electronic devices and applications while efficiently controlling heat with LOCTITE® Bergquist® thermal management materials. Discover how our advanced solutions optimize functionality and enhance reliability, ensuring superior performance.
An example of thermal management materials

Find thermal material management products

  • Thermal GAP PAD® materials

  • Thermal gap fillers

  • Thermal gels

  • Thermal SIL PAD® materials

  • Phase change materials

  • Thermally conductive grease

  • Thermally conductive adhesives

Up to

30%

Improvement in productivity and output rates.

...
Productivity and output rates can be improved by using thermally conductive adhesives instead of mechanical fasteners.

Up to

1,000+

Hours of increased device operational lifetime.

...
When devices work above their maximum operating temperature, their lifetime expectancy decreases. A temperature increase of 10° C is generally accepted as cutting the life of a device in half.

Up to

25%

Reduction of overall production costs.

...
Production costs and material waste can be reduced by using Henkel‘s liquid gap filling solutions with automated dispensing systems.
High-performing electronics create a lot of heat

Henkel’s innovative thermal management solutions portfolio is designed to address and dissipate potentially damaging heat across many applications. Each is unique, and the requirements are dependent on your specific needs.

Photo of high power electronic assembly utilizing phase change material for thermal impedance between heat dissipating device and opposing assembly surface

What are thermal management materials?

Thermal management materials are a range of different product types designed to effectively dissipate heat in electronic applications. They are composite systems that enable efficient heat transfer within components.

These solutions perform various functions within components. This includes carrying heat away from the components that generate it (also known as dissipating heat), offering stress relief from thermal cycling, providing electrical insulation, filling air gaps (voids), and offering long-term stability within components.

Why use Henkel thermal management solutions?

Henkel’s LOCTITE® Bergquist® brand thermal solutions dissipate heat within multiple applications, enabling optimal performance and extending device lifetime across a range of industries and types of product.

Multi-award-winning formulations in various mediums allow Henkel to provide thermal management materials that offer essential heat dissipation for applications within numerous markets. These include automotive, consumer, telecom/datacom, power and industrial automation, computing, and communication, among others.

Grey gap pad laid over a component on a white circuit board to dissipate heat
Blue liquid gap filler material applied on component

As electronic systems integrate more capability into increasingly challenging, complex designs and compact footprints, efficient heat control is necessary. Doing so effectively allows you to maximize performance and limit heat-related failures within devices.

Henkel’s LOCTITE® Bergquist® thermal management materials, including GAP PAD® materials, SIL PAD® materials, phase change materials, microTIMs, LIQUI-FORM® products, and thermal adhesives, tackle today’s toughest thermal management challenges. Manage heat more effectively every step of the way with a thermal management material suitable for any and every application.

Considerations for thermal management

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Thermal management for thicker gap interfaces and complex architectures
For thicker gap interfaces and complex architectures, soft materials fill uneven surfaces, conform to challenging shapes, and reduce stress ensuring the heat moves, component function is optimized, reliability is raised, and system life is maximized.

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Thermal management and adhesion
In space-constrained applications where mechanical fasteners are impractical or impossible and robust thermal management is required, thermally conductive adhesives provide the solution.

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Thermal management for thin bond lines
When the distance between the component and heat sink is minimal, thin bond line and low thermal resistance materials are required to fill voids and efficiently dissipate component heat.

Benefits of Henkel thermal management materials

Heat dissipation

...
Effective thermal management and heat dissipation in electronic devices

Device performance and safety

...
Optimize performance and safety of power electronics

Reliability

...
Extend reliability and lifespan of components and devices

Proven industry solutions

...
Developed and suitable for a wide range of industries and applications

Expansive portfolio

...
Diverse choice of product types, from pads to liquids

Product & process performance

...
Formulated for sustainable results and possibility for fully automated processes

Choosing a thermal management material

Thermal management materials from Henkel are designed to fit a wide range of applications. But depending on what you’re manufacturing, the type of interface material you need will differ. Selecting the right thermal management solution is key to:

  • Optimizing heat dissipation
  • Extending the life of components
  • Upholding performance of devices
  • Eliminating the risk of failure and performance drops
Thermally conductive liquid material management solution applied to a circuit board.
Two experts discuss about thermal management materials in the lab

Selecting the right thermal management material for your application depends on several factors, including: 

  • Heat dissipation requirements
  • Adhesive qualities needed in assembly
  • Whether a solid or liquid is more applicable
  • The size of the gap that needs to be filled
  • Gap topography and surface
  • Component stress level requirements
  • Physics, including application temperature and structure

Knowing the requirements in your application for each of the above can help you decide whether you need a resin, liquid, or solid-state thermal management solution and whether pads, liquids, adhesives, tapes, or films are the right thermal product for use in your assembly. Check out our e-Catalog to select the right thermal material for your needs.

SIL PAD material applied on printed circuit board
Green thermal GAP PAD on top of electronic circuit board components

Thicker gap and simplified application - thermal GAP PAD® solutions

Devices with thicker gaps between heat sinks and electronic components, uneven surface topography, and rough surface textures need an interface material with greater conformability, higher thermal performance, and simplified application.

GAP PAD® materials reduce thermal resistance and achieve specific thermal and conformability characteristics in components with uneven and rough surfaces. Manual or automated application, there is no dispensing equipment required and material is easily reworkable. Help reduce vibration stress for shock dampening in a range of applications.

Benefits of thermal GAP PAD® solutions include:

  • Soft and conformable
  • Low stress on components during assembly while providing shock-dampening abilities
  • Easier material handling and simplified application
  • Puncture, shear, and tear resistance for added device resilience
  • Customizable to the specific dimensions of the application
Photo of dispensing application of thermally conductive liquid gap filler.

Complex designs and high throughput - thermal liquid solutions

Devices with more complex electronic designs, highly intricate topographies, and multi-level surfaces need an interface material to enhance thermal performance and enable easier dispensing application for high-volume manufacturing operations.

Thermal liquid gap filler materials can be used on many platforms, providing better wet-out for optimized thermal resistance, generally lower than more solid pad-based mediums. Application volume and pattern are completely adaptable to suit a wide range of applications.

Benefits of thermal liquid solutions include:

  • Minimal stress during assembly
  • Excellent conformability to intricate geometries
  • Single solution for multiple applications
  • Efficient material usage
  • Customizable flow characteristics 
  • Fast and flexible processing for high volume manufacturing and high throughput 
  • Automated application process eliminates operator-induced errors and defects
Photo of bergquist SIL PAD thermal interface material used in a power supply application for electrical insulation and thermal management

Thinner bondline - thermal SIL PAD® solutions

Devices with thinner gaps between heat sinks and electronic components need a solution that can minimize thermal resistance from the external package of a power semiconductor to the heat sink, electrically isolate the semiconductor from the heat sink, and provide sufficient dielectric strength to withstand high voltage.

SIL PAD® materials are solutions for a cleaner and more efficient thermal interface and save time and money while maximizing an assembly’s performance and reliability.

Compared to mica, ceramic, and grease, SIL PAD® materials:

  • Eliminates the mess of grease
  • Are more durable than mica
  • Cost less than ceramic
  • Apply easier and cleaner
  • Perform better for today’s high-heat compacted assemblies
  • Automate assembly process fully
A thermally conductive adhesive Bond-Ply material applied between transistors and heat sink and transistors and heat spreader

Alternative to mechanical fasteners - thermal adhesives

High-power electronic components generate heat, and some designs incorporate discrete packages, making traditional mechanical attachment processes inefficient.

Conventional adhesives as a mechanical replacement cannot deliver the thermal performance necessary. To most efficiently transfer heat out of the assembly, thermal adhesives should be used.

Creating a strong bond between components and heat sinks to reduce the need for screws and clips, Henkel thermally conductive adhesives in pad, liquid, and laminate mediums also allow reliable, long-lasting connection and effective heat dissipation in devices.

IGBT module with phase change material applied.

Ultra-thin bondline - phase change material solutions

High power density components require a reliable, efficient mechanism to remove operational heat and stabilize thermal performance over the lifetime.

Due to inherent material migration (also known as "pump out"), a conventional grease thermal interface does not deliver the reliability and performance required.

Phase change materials flow and displace under high pressure and temperatures, reducing bondline thickness. Under elevated temperatures, the material does not turn to a liquid. It softens and flows under pressure without a risk of pump out – unlike thermal grease. It also does not dry over time.

Phase change material products replace grease as the interface between power devices and heat sinks to provide effective thermal performance in components. These products can be integrated into a fully automated process, giving customers fast and flexible processing for mass production and high throughput.

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