Dow Corning Corp. (Midland, MI) has expanded its base of thermal management solutions for the electronics industry by introducing three new thermal interface materials (TIMs). Two of the new materials—TP-1600 film series and TP-2400 pad series—are the first fabricated TIMs to emerge from Dow Corning following its acquisition of Tyco Electronics' Raychem Power Materials Business Unit last year.

The thermally conductive films and pads help customers improve thermal dissipation in electronic components and assemblies and are designed for ease of use and process flexibility. Because they are pre-cured, the fabricated TIMs do not require special application tools, are re-workable and are available in a range of thicknesses. They are suited for electronics applications in the automotive, display, computer and power markets.

For similar heat management needs in high-powered CPU applications, the company has introduced TC-5021, a thermally conductive grease. As a wet-dispensed material, the grease enables customers to achieve thin bond lines and can be used in high-volume automated manufacturing environments.

Dow Corning's newest fabricated and wet-dispensed materials are part of the company's growth strategy in the TIMs market, which, according to electronics industry market research firm Prismark, is expected to more than double to $419 million by 2007, up from $170 million in 2002. The market expansion is driven by a growing need to control heat and electrical resistance in electronics devices. As these devices get smaller, faster and less expensive, electronics manufacturers need a broad selection of thermal management solutions to help them address a dynamic range of process needs.

www.dowcorning.com/electronics

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