TECHNOLOGY | THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE COMPOUNDS
Right: This LED spotlight panel cooling back plate is injection moulded in Star-T thermally conductive compound by Eurostar EP
Modest moves A number of compounders are developing and commercialising thermally conductive materials for the many developing applications. However, Witcom’s Christine Van Bellingen says there is still a long way to go before the potential of thermally conductive thermoplastics is fully realised in applications. “We perceive a clear interest and development perspective but still only a modest move towards thermally conductive plastics,” she says.
Witcom has a full range of thermally conductive
PA compounds that can achieve from medium to high thermal conductivities, with or without electrical conductivity. All grades are reinforced, and some contain halogen-free flame retardants. “Getting requirements on in- or through-plane thermal conductivity is of course a good start, but often does not reflect the true thermal conductivity of a moulded part. The moulding will orient the additives and the proportion of random orientation will, for instance, increase the real through-plane conductivity while the measurement on a standard plaque can limit the value to under 5 W/m.K – and cool down customer interest,” she says. “Some theoretical models for metal replace- ment may bring much higher expec- tations that easily injectable thermally
Left: Parts of an industrial camera made with thermally conductive, EMI shielded, halogen free flame retarded PA6 compound from Witcom
conductive plastics cannot meet. A first necessary step is always to test the performance in the final part and accept to work maybe a bit more empiri- cally at the start, in a less formalised pattern.” Van Bellingen says Witcom compounds can
readily reach thermal conductivity values of more than 20 W/m.K in-plane. “In most applications, values below 5 W/m.K and even between 1-2 W/m.K through-plane can be enough to dissipate the heat efficiently.”
Optimised solutions At Eurostar EP, Alexis Chopin, responsible for technology, says: “We are following two different tracks, as the markets seems to be more mature and the requirements are now more realistic, focused on having the best cost/performance ratio rather than reaching the ultimate performance.” The first track involves what he describes as
“versatile thermally conductive products with just enough properties to meet market needs.” Refer- encing the continued miniaturisation of E&E
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IMAGE: EUROSTAR EP
IMAGE: WIT
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