Why Do Electronic Devices Get Hot?
Electronic devices heat up because of Joule heating, a fundamental physical phenomenon: as current flows through a conductive material, electrons collide with atoms and generate heat due to electrical resistance.
Modern high-power components—like CPUs, GPUs, LEDs, and power converters—dissipate large amounts of thermal energy.
To maintain performance and reliability, systems use thermal management to keep temperature in check.
Cooling methods are broadly divided into:
Passive cooling: Uses natural conduction, convection, and radiation without external power.
Active cooling: Employs powered systems (fans, pumps) for higher heat removal rates, though at the cost of energy and added complexity.
In many cases, thermal interface materials (TIMs) improve passive cooling efficiency by replacing air gaps with thermally conductive materials, significantly reducing thermal resistance and boosting heat transfer.
Why Do Electronic Devices Get Hot?
Electronic devices heat up because of Joule heating, a fundamental physical phenomenon: as current flows through a conductive material, electrons collide with atoms and generate heat due to electrical resistance.
Modern high-power components—like CPUs, GPUs, LEDs, and power converters—dissipate large amounts of thermal energy.
To maintain performance and reliability, systems use thermal management to keep temperature in check.
Cooling methods are broadly divided into:
Passive cooling: Uses natural conduction, convection, and radiation without external power.
Active cooling: Employs powered systems (fans, pumps) for higher heat removal rates, though at the cost of energy and added complexity.
In many cases, thermal interface materials (TIMs) improve passive cooling efficiency by replacing air gaps with thermally conductive materials, significantly reducing thermal resistance and boosting heat transfer.
What happens during assembly?
When two surfaces are joined, microscopic peaks and valleys create tiny air gaps—because real surfaces aren’t perfectly smooth. These gaps trap air, which has very low thermal conductivity, and significantly increase thermal contact resistance. To improve heat transfer, thermal gap fillers (TIMs) are used to better bridge these irregularities.
In a typical device, several interfaces exist between the heat source (e.g., a chip) and the final heatsink. Some interfaces are permanent bonds, such as solder or adhesive.
Others are non-permanent—for example, a component mechanically bolted to a heatsink or a module mated to a chassis. These interfaces all contribute to the overall thermal path and must be optimized to minimize resistance.
When two surfaces are joined, microscopic peaks and valleys create tiny air gaps—because real surfaces aren’t perfectly smooth. These gaps trap air, which has very low thermal conductivity, and significantly increase thermal contact resistance. To improve heat transfer, thermal gap fillers (TIMs) are used to better bridge these irregularities.
In a typical device, several interfaces exist between the heat source (e.g., a chip) and the final heatsink. Some interfaces are permanent bonds, such as solder or adhesive.
Others are non-permanent—for example, a component mechanically bolted to a heatsink or a module mated to a chassis. These interfaces all contribute to the overall thermal path and must be optimized to minimize resistance.
Thermal Interface Materials for your Application
Thermal Conductive Silicone
Thermally conductive silicone is a cost-effective thermal interface material that also provides excellent environmental sealing. It’s ideal when moderate thermal conductivity is needed—especially in applications where electrical isolation isn’t critical.
These silicones are available in a variety of formats: extruded profiles, jointed O-rings, large sheets (e.g., 380 mm × 508 mm), or precision die-cut shapes. For enhanced convenience, they can feature a proprietary ultra-thin pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer, minimizing impact on thermal conductivity.
With low thermal resistance under low compression, this material conforms well to uneven or high-tolerance surfaces while generating minimal rebound stress—reducing stress on delicate electronics during assembly. Ideal for filling variable gaps, it ensures reliable heat transfer without compromising mechanical integrity.
Graphite Sheet
A Graphite Sheet, also commonly known as a
- Ultra-High Thermal Conductivity: In-plane conductivity ranges from ~150 to 1500 W/m·K, outperforming many metals.
- Chemical & Thermal Stability: Made of high-purity carbon, it remains stable from –40 °C up to +400 °C and resists corrosion
- Flexible & Conformable: Thin, bendable, and able to conform to flat or curved surfaces with ease.
- Lightweight: Much lighter than traditional metal heat spreaders—about 25% lighter than aluminum and ~75% lighter than copper.
- Low In-Plane Conductivity: Restricts lateral heat spreading, helping concentrate cooling on the hot zone and protect neighboring components.
- High Anisotropy Ratio: The ratio of in-plane to through-plane conductivity defines effectiveness—higher ratios mean stronger directional control.
Anisotropic Thermal Conductive Composite Sheet
An anisotropic thermal conductive composite sheet is a TIM engineered to conduct heat primarily in one direction (through-plane, Z-axis), while limiting heat spreading in the in-plane (X & Y) directions. This design helps channel heat straight out of hot components—such as CPUs or power modules—into a heatsink, without allowing lateral heat to affect nearby sensitive parts.
High Through-Plane Conductivity: Delivers a fast thermal “path” from the heat source to the cooling structure—polymer-based versions range from ~3–20 W/m·K; fiber- or graphite-aligned composites can exceed 50 W/m·K.
Tailored Thermal Management: Ideal for densely packed electronics, 3D stacked chips, or power modules where vertical heat flow must be maximized without overheating the board.
Graphite Copper Mesh
Graphite-copper mesh is a hybrid composite that fuses a continuous copper mesh with graphite, combining copper’s excellent electrical conductivity with graphite’s lubricity and thermal stability to form a durable, high-performance material.
- Highly Conductive: The copper mesh provides a low-resistance path, enabling efficient current flow.
- Self-Lubricating: Graphite acts as a solid lubricant, reducing friction and wear in sliding or moving contacts.
- Wear-Resistant: The copper network and graphite together offer greater durability than graphite alone or other composites.
- Thermally Efficient: Both copper and graphite help dissipate heat generated by friction or current.
- Structurally Robust: The mesh structure ensures continuous mechanical and electrical integrity, improving performance over time.
Ideal for flexible electronics, sensors, sliding contacts, and high-performance modules where reliable conductivity, wear resistance, and self-lubrication are essential.
Thermal Conductive Silicone
Thermally conductive silicone is a cost-effective thermal interface material that also provides excellent environmental sealing. It’s ideal when moderate thermal conductivity is needed—especially in applications where electrical isolation isn’t critical.
These silicones are available in a variety of formats: extruded profiles, jointed O-rings, large sheets (e.g., 380 mm × 508 mm), or precision die-cut shapes. For enhanced convenience, they can feature a proprietary ultra-thin pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer, minimizing impact on thermal conductivity.
With low thermal resistance under low compression, this material conforms well to uneven or high-tolerance surfaces while generating minimal rebound stress—reducing stress on delicate electronics during assembly. Ideal for filling variable gaps, it ensures reliable heat transfer without compromising mechanical integrity.
Graphite Sheet
A Graphite Sheet, also commonly known as a
- Ultra-High Thermal Conductivity: In-plane conductivity ranges from ~150 to 1500 W/m·K, outperforming many metals.
- Chemical & Thermal Stability: Made of high-purity carbon, it remains stable from –40 °C up to +400 °C and resists corrosion
- Flexible & Conformable: Thin, bendable, and able to conform to flat or curved surfaces with ease.
- Lightweight: Much lighter than traditional metal heat spreaders—about 25% lighter than aluminum and ~75% lighter than copper.
- Low In-Plane Conductivity: Restricts lateral heat spreading, helping concentrate cooling on the hot zone and protect neighboring components.
- High Anisotropy Ratio: The ratio of in-plane to through-plane conductivity defines effectiveness—higher ratios mean stronger directional control.
Anisotropic Thermal Conductive Composite Sheet
An anisotropic thermal conductive composite sheet is a TIM engineered to conduct heat primarily in one direction (through-plane, Z-axis), while limiting heat spreading in the in-plane (X & Y) directions. This design helps channel heat straight out of hot components—such as CPUs or power modules—into a heatsink, without allowing lateral heat to affect nearby sensitive parts.
High Through-Plane Conductivity: Delivers a fast thermal “path” from the heat source to the cooling structure—polymer-based versions range from ~3–20 W/m·K; fiber- or graphite-aligned composites can exceed 50 W/m·K.
Tailored Thermal Management: Ideal for densely packed electronics, 3D stacked chips, or power modules where vertical heat flow must be maximized without overheating the board.
Graphite Copper Mesh
Graphite-copper mesh is a hybrid composite that fuses a continuous copper mesh with graphite, combining copper’s excellent electrical conductivity with graphite’s lubricity and thermal stability to form a durable, high-performance material.
- Highly Conductive: The copper mesh provides a low-resistance path, enabling efficient current flow.
- Self-Lubricating: Graphite acts as a solid lubricant, reducing friction and wear in sliding or moving contacts.
- Wear-Resistant: The copper network and graphite together offer greater durability than graphite alone or other composites.
- Thermally Efficient: Both copper and graphite help dissipate heat generated by friction or current.
- Structurally Robust: The mesh structure ensures continuous mechanical and electrical integrity, improving performance over time.
Ideal for flexible electronics, sensors, sliding contacts, and high-performance modules where reliable conductivity, wear resistance, and self-lubrication are essential.
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