Dispensable Gel Solutions

Your vision! Our expertise! Collaborating with engineering teams is what we do best! We listens to your priorities, and create a customized solution tailored to your specific requirements.

1. Silicone-Based Gels:

• Benefits: Silicone gels provide good thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, and versatility. They are resistant to moisture and offer reliable long-term performance in a wide temperature range.

2. Non-Silicone-Based Gels (Non-Silicone Elastomers):

• Benefits: Non-silicone-based gels are suitable for applications where silicone may not be compatible. They offer similar thermal conductivity, conformability, and environmental resistance.

3. Electrically Conductive Gels:

• Benefits: These gels combine thermal conductivity with electrical conductivity, making them ideal for applications where EMI/RFI shielding and heat dissipation are critical. They maintain electrical insulation while efficiently transferring heat.

4. Thermally Conductive, Phase Change Gels:

• Benefits: Phase change gels transition from solid to liquid and back to solid as they absorb and release heat. This phase change property ensures excellent thermal contact and minimizes thermal resistance, particularly in applications with varying heat loads.

5. Custom Formulations:

• Benefits: Matrix can formulate custom gels tailored to specific engineering requirements, allowing for fine-tuned thermal properties, cure times, and material characteristics.

The choice of gel material depends on the application’s thermal conductivity, electrical requirements, and compatibility with surrounding materials. Matrix diverse gel offerings cater to a wide range of industries, ensuring efficient thermal management solutions for various engineering needs.

1. Thermal Conductivity (k): Evaluate the gel’s thermal conductivity, considering its impact on heat transfer efficiency. Choose a gel with the appropriate thermal conductivity to meet thermal dissipation requirements.

2. Material Compatibility: Analyze the gel’s chemical compatibility with surrounding materials, ensuring it won’t adversely react with components, substrates, or adhesives, which could compromise performance or longevity.

3. Application Method: Select a gel compatible with the chosen dispensing or application method (e.g., syringe dispensing, stencil printing, automated application) to ensure precise and consistent application.

4. Gap Filling Ability: Assess the gel’s gap-filling capabilities, particularly its ability to effectively bridge and fill gaps within the application. This is crucial for achieving uniform thermal contact.

5. Surface Finish: Consider the surface roughness and finish of contact surfaces, as these can impact the gel’s thermal interface performance. Highly polished surfaces may be required for optimal results.

6. Curing Requirements: Determine if the gel necessitates curing and the associated time and process complexities. Pre-cured gels offer quicker assembly but may have limitations in certain applications.

7. Environmental Considerations: Account for the gel’s performance under varying environmental conditions, including temperature extremes, exposure to chemicals, moisture resistance, and resistance to long-term degradation.

8. Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the gel meets relevant industry standards, safety regulations, and specific application requirements, such as UL listings for electrical safety or compliance with aerospace standards.

9. Customization: Evaluate the gel’s potential for customization in terms of viscosity, curing time, material formulation, and other parameters to align with precise application demands.

10. Long-Term Reliability: Analyze the gel’s long-term thermal stability and resistance to wear, tear, and aging effects to guarantee sustained thermal performance throughout its service life.

11. Adhesive Properties: Determine if the gel offers adhesive properties for secure component attachment or if it necessitates additional adhesives or mechanical fasteners.

12. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Conduct a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis to determine the most cost-effective thermal gel solution that meets thermal requirements while staying within budget constraints.

13. Installation Complexity: Assess the complexity of the gel’s installation process, taking into account factors like curing, dispensing, or other application methods, to ensure practical and efficient assembly procedures.

Engineers should meticulously evaluate these technical aspects when selecting a thermal gel, ensuring it aligns with the precise thermal management requirements and constraints of their engineering applications.

Dispensable thermal gels are commonly used in a wide range of industries and applications to efficiently manage heat. Here are ten specific examples:

1. Consumer Electronics (Laptops and Smartphones):

• Industry: Electronics Manufacturing
• Application: Placed between microprocessors (CPUs) and heat sinks to enhance heat dissipation and prevent overheating in laptops and smartphones.

2. Automotive (Engine Control Units – ECUs):

• Industry: Automotive
• Application: Applied to ECUs to manage heat generated by electronic components, ensuring reliable performance under extreme conditions.

3. LED Lighting Systems:

• Industry: Lighting
• Application: Used in LED lighting fixtures to transfer heat away from LEDs, maintaining luminosity and extending operational lifespan.

4. Telecommunications Equipment (Base Stations):

• Industry: Telecommunications
• Application: Applied in base station electronics to regulate temperatures and prevent thermal issues in telecommunications equipment.

5. Power Electronics (Voltage Regulators):

• Industry: Power Electronics
• Application: Placed between power semiconductor devices and heat sinks to enhance thermal management and maintain operational efficiency.

6. Medical Devices (MRI Machines):

• Industry: Healthcare
• Application: Utilized in medical devices like MRI machines to control and dissipate heat generated by sensitive electronic components.

7. Industrial Automation (PLCs):

• Industry: Industrial Automation
• Application: Used in programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to manage heat and ensure uninterrupted operation in industrial settings.

8. Aerospace (Avionics):

• Industry: Aerospace
• Application: Applied to avionics equipment to maintain temperature stability and reliable performance in aircraft systems.

9. Renewable Energy (Solar Inverters):

• Industry: Renewable Energy
• Application: Used in solar inverters to enhance heat dissipation and optimize energy conversion efficiency in solar power systems.

10. Data Centers (Servers):

• Industry: Information Technology
• Application: Placed between server CPUs and heat sinks to manage heat in data centers, ensuring optimal server performance and reliability.

Dispensable thermal gels are crucial in these applications because they conform to surfaces, fill gaps effectively, and provide consistent thermal contact, addressing the specific thermal management needs of each industry.

1. Conformability: Gels conform to irregular surfaces and fill gaps effectively, ensuring uniform thermal contact and reducing air gaps, which are common sources of thermal resistance.

2. Ease of Dispensing: They can be easily dispensed using standard equipment, making application precise and consistent, which can be challenging with other materials like thermal grease.

3. No Curing Time: Unlike some thermal interface materials (TIMs), gels require no curing time, reducing assembly time and costs.

4. Reusability: Dispensable gels are often reusable, allowing for component reassembly without the need for reapplication.

5. Cleanliness: Gels are non-messy and do not leak or spread, keeping electronic components clean and free from contamination.

6. Customization: They can be customized in terms of material formulations, viscosity, and curing time to match specific application requirements.

7. Gap Filling: Gels excel at filling gaps and ensuring consistent thermal contact, which can be challenging with other TIMs.

8. No Pump-Out Effect: Dispensable gels do not suffer from the “pump-out” effect common in thermal greases, where the material may be displaced over time.

9. Material Options: A variety of material options are available, including silicone-based, non-silicone-based, and electrically conductive gels, offering versatility for different applications.

10. Environmental Stability: Some gels exhibit good resistance to environmental factors like temperature extremes, chemicals, and moisture, ensuring long-term performance.

11. Adhesive Properties: Certain gels have adhesive properties, facilitating secure component attachment without the need for additional adhesives or fasteners.

12. Cost-Effective: Dispensable gels offer a cost-effective solution for a wide range of thermal management applications without sacrificing performance.

While dispensable thermal gels offer these advantages, the choice between gels and other thermal management options should consider specific application requirements, including thermal conductivity, compliance, and environmental factors. Each solution has its own set of advantages and may be more suitable for certain scenarios.

While gap pads excel in various applications, the choice between gap pads and other thermal management options should consider specific application requirements, including thermal conductivity, compliance, and environmental factors. Each solution has its own set of advantages and may be more suitable for certain scenarios.