- Mar 12, 2011
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There are several names by which this substance goes by, thermal compound, thermal grease, thermal paste an thermal conductor.
1.So what is it , well it is a substance that is a conductor of heat and is primarily used to conduct heat from a processor to a heat sink to safely remove built up heat from the processor so it doesn't overheat and shut down. This thermal compound can also be used on any Memory Chip (Ram), Graphic Processor Unit (GPU) or Central Processor Unit (CPU) that generates heat and needs to have that heat transferred to a heat sink ,heat spreader or water block that will dissipate that heat.
On a motherboard for example there are several places where thermal compound can and should be used.
a. The CPU.
b. The North and South Bridge chip
c. The voltage regulator
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If there is a heat spreader attached to the memory sticks then thermal compound is applied to the chips before the heat spreader is attached.
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/43/20t1.jpg/][IMG]
[img][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/209/p1r6.jpg/][IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img209/4636/p1r6.jpg[/URL][/img]
The Video card is another important place where thermal compound is needed as the GPU will have it applied before the heat sink is attached to the card.
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2. What is it made of.
There are many materials/substances that thermal compound can be made of and some of them are listed below. The majority come as a grey or white paste like substance that can easily be spread on the top of a CPU.
There are many manufacturers that will use some of these materials to produce a thermal compound and their choice of material or several materials together will depend on their research as to what they are able to come up with as a formula to produce their best option of a transfer substance.
beryllium oxide
aluminum nitride
aluminum oxide
zinc oxide
silicon dioxide
silver
copper
carbon (diamond powder)
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/513/27fi.jpg/][IMG]
[img][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/9/vtuj.jpg/][IMG]
[img][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/600/j1v2.jpg/][IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img600/4326/j1v2.jpg[/URL][/img]
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Other types are preformed sheets that can be cut to fit and will come in different thicknesses , still others can come as a liquid form in a sort of liquid metal that takes a good deal of patience to apply and will bond with the top of the CPU and the heat sink.
Gallium provides the liquid metal alloy that is used in this type.
Another type is the Phase Change Metal Alloy (PCMA) which is a sealed pouch that is placed between the CPU and heat sink and under high temps is reformed (phase change) and reflowed to fill all the micro pits and scratches that are present on all heat sinks and CPU lids.
3. Why do you need it.
As mentioned in the previous paragraph all heat sinks and CPU lids along with GPU chips, Ram chips and other silicon chips all have micro cracks, pits and scratches , many which are not visible to the naked eye. The thermal compound will fill all these problem areas and provide a super smooth surface for the efficient transfer of heat.
The enemy of these components is heat and the successful transfer of this heat is vital to their continuing to function properly.
1.So what is it , well it is a substance that is a conductor of heat and is primarily used to conduct heat from a processor to a heat sink to safely remove built up heat from the processor so it doesn't overheat and shut down. This thermal compound can also be used on any Memory Chip (Ram), Graphic Processor Unit (GPU) or Central Processor Unit (CPU) that generates heat and needs to have that heat transferred to a heat sink ,heat spreader or water block that will dissipate that heat.
On a motherboard for example there are several places where thermal compound can and should be used.
a. The CPU.
b. The North and South Bridge chip
c. The voltage regulator
If there is a heat spreader attached to the memory sticks then thermal compound is applied to the chips before the heat spreader is attached.
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/43/20t1.jpg/][IMG]
[img][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/209/p1r6.jpg/][IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img209/4636/p1r6.jpg[/URL][/img]
The Video card is another important place where thermal compound is needed as the GPU will have it applied before the heat sink is attached to the card.
2. What is it made of.
There are many materials/substances that thermal compound can be made of and some of them are listed below. The majority come as a grey or white paste like substance that can easily be spread on the top of a CPU.
There are many manufacturers that will use some of these materials to produce a thermal compound and their choice of material or several materials together will depend on their research as to what they are able to come up with as a formula to produce their best option of a transfer substance.
beryllium oxide
aluminum nitride
aluminum oxide
zinc oxide
silicon dioxide
silver
copper
carbon (diamond powder)
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/513/27fi.jpg/][IMG]
[img][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/9/vtuj.jpg/][IMG]
[img][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/600/j1v2.jpg/][IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img600/4326/j1v2.jpg[/URL][/img]
Other types are preformed sheets that can be cut to fit and will come in different thicknesses , still others can come as a liquid form in a sort of liquid metal that takes a good deal of patience to apply and will bond with the top of the CPU and the heat sink.
Gallium provides the liquid metal alloy that is used in this type.
Another type is the Phase Change Metal Alloy (PCMA) which is a sealed pouch that is placed between the CPU and heat sink and under high temps is reformed (phase change) and reflowed to fill all the micro pits and scratches that are present on all heat sinks and CPU lids.
3. Why do you need it.
As mentioned in the previous paragraph all heat sinks and CPU lids along with GPU chips, Ram chips and other silicon chips all have micro cracks, pits and scratches , many which are not visible to the naked eye. The thermal compound will fill all these problem areas and provide a super smooth surface for the efficient transfer of heat.
The enemy of these components is heat and the successful transfer of this heat is vital to their continuing to function properly.
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