What is a Thermal Tape
Thermal conductive tape is a type of tape used within equipment to transfer heat for the purpose of heat dissipation. It typically features high-temperature resistance and insulation properties to ensure stable operation. Due to its inherent characteristics, the tape also provides excellent fixation capabilities while conducting heat.
What are the Advantages of Thermal Tapes?
Easy to Install – No special tools or equipment are required for the installation of thermal tape. Just peel back the adhesive and stick it anywhere on the device surface.
Convenient Processing – This tape can be cut to the required size and length to meet your needs.
Thin and lightweight – Due to the general thinness and lightweight nature of thermal tape, it requires no special space and is ideal for weight-sensitive conditions.
Durable and Long-Lasting – Excellent resistance to heat and high temperature stability enable thermal conductive tape to perform reliably in long-term applications in challenging environments.
This is a durable, heat-resistant tape designed to manage heat and improve insulation in many applications.
Our tape has high-conductivity thermal adhesive on both sides for heat transfer and secure bonding.
It delivers excellent contact and low thermal resistance for electric cooling, LED modules, and power devices.
Our thermal has a strong dual-sided adhesion to bond metals, plastics, and a variety of substrates.
These phase-change pads are designed to fill air gaps and improve heat transfer in electronic components.
Our pads help maintain operating temperatures and support electrical continuity for electronic and industrial systems.
It is made from flexible graphite that conducts heat between electronic components and heat sinks.
These pads are ideal for advanced electronics, automotive electronics, LED modules, and high-temperature systems.
Our pads have a soft structure that allows them to conform easily to surface irregularities for efficient heat transfer.
It delivers improved heat dissipation, reduces thermal resistance, and maintains lower operating temperatures.
Our thermal pads are suitable for power electronics, CPU/GPU cooling, and other heat-sensitive applications.
Made from soft silicone infused with thermally conductive fillers to bridge gaps for improving heat transfer.
Thermal PadsThese are soft compressible materials used to transfer heat from electronic components.
Thermal conductive padsIt conforms to surface irregularities and fills air gaps to improve heat dissipation.
Thermally conductive padsThese pads improve cooling efficiency and protect components from damage.
How to Use a Thermal Tape?
Thermal conductive tape is typically applied to the surface of components requiring heat dissipation, securely bonding them to the device housing. First, select the appropriate tape based on specific application requirements, considering factors such as thermal conductivity, adhesive strength, and high-temperature resistance.
Next, before applying the thermal interface material, clean the surface of the heat sink component to ensure it is free from dirt and contaminants. The presence of these elements could prevent the thermal interface material from adhering tightly to the surface, thereby compromising heat dissipation performance.
Then you can determine the required area based on the size of different components and cut the tape to the appropriate dimensions. Next, peel off the protective film and apply the tape as smoothly as possible between the heat dissipation element and the product. During this step, ensure there are no air bubbles or gaps, as these could also affect heat dissipation performance.
What is it made of? The Materials
Polyimide film, silicone rubber, or a glass-fiber cloth are often used as bases in thermal conductive tapes. Such materials possess inherently good insulation properties and can maintain stability at high temperatures; therefore, they can be utilized as thermal interface materials.
Adhesion materials for thermal conductive tape generally utilize adhesive materials such as acrylic or silicon adhesives, which provide excellent thermal conductivity and flexibility, as well as good heat resistance.
What are the Thermal Tape Types?
Aluminum Foil Tape– This tape utilizes ultra-thin aluminum foil as its substrate, offering excellent thermal conductivity while forming an insulating barrier through its comprehensive coating. It perfectly meets design requirements without requiring precious insulation treatment. GALLOP INNOTEK offers cost-effective solutions that deliver outstanding performance. Suitable for various applications, including LED lighting, WiFi signal extenders, and military equipment.
Double-Sided Fiberglass PSA Thermal Tape– This tape features a thermal conductivity of approximately 1.2 W/m·K. It is a double-sided, glass fiber-reinforced, thermally conductive self-adhesive tape offering exceptional thermal conductivity and insulation properties, with high adhesion strength to various surfaces. Suitable for designs that require no thermal curing and utilize screw or snap-fit installation. It can be applied to BGAs, graphics processors, driver processors, motor controllers, TV backlights, and more.
Applications of the Thermal Tape
LED Thermal Management – This is perhaps the most common application of thermal conductive tape. Either side can be used to fasten linear LED strips to slotted heat sinks, allowing for the transfer of heat from the LEDs to the heat sink and ensuring the strips remain cool.
Aviation – Thermal conductive tape can be applied to the heat management of aerospace equipment in spacecraft and aircraft construction. It adheres thermal insulation panels to spacecraft fixtures and shields sensitive electronic instruments from extreme temperature changes.
Electronics – Time-saving and labor-saving, thermal conductive tape is used to affix heat sinks to CPUs, GPUs, and other types of electronic chips in electronic devices such as telecommunication devices, phones, and flat-panel display screens. ( CPU\GPU \Power Transistor) It guarantees good heat dissipation of the parts and prolongs the service life of such components.
Automotive- Thermal conductive tape can wrap wires and cables to shield them from heat in automotive applications. It even prevents heat damage to wires, which ensures that the vehicle’s electrical system runs smoothly.
Thermal Tape Roll Yield Planner
Estimate rectangular die-cut quantity from a roll and the roll length needed for an order.
Planning/reference estimate: Simple rectangular nesting only. Liner, grain, kiss-cutting, registration, edge trim, splice loss and die geometry affect final yield.
Like any other material, thermal tape is not perfect. For instance, it cannot be reused; once applied or peeled off a surface, it cannot be reused. Furthermore, the adhesive residue might be difficult to remove from device surfaces.
Its thermal conductivity also falls short of thermal pads and thermal paste, making it suitable only for low-demand, low-performance applications. Moreover, if the tape is too thick, it will fail to achieve effective heat dissipation.
When applying thermal double-sided adhesive tape, proper handling is essential. Avoid touching the adhesive surface with hands or non-adhesive materials. Refrain from repeated peeling and repositioning. Ensure bonding surfaces remain clean and dry. Before use, wipe surfaces with alcohol to ensure cleanliness and secure adhesion.
While using thermal conductive tape, avoid contact with your eyes and skin, as it may cause allergic reactions. For added caution, wear protective gear to ensure safety during use.
Other thermal interface materials include thermal grease, thermal pads, and more.
Thermal grease is the glue that fills the air gaps between hot electronic components and a heat sink, acting as a thermal conductor. It will afford you great power in filling voids and covering uneven surfaces rapidly.
A thermal pad is a solid material of specific thickness used to ensure even heat dissipation in equipment. It is frequently the choice of users in applications that need heat resistance and electrical insulation.
When it comes to their respective advantages, well, thermal paste offers greater flexibility, allowing it to be applied to uneven surfaces, making it ideal for CPU and GPU cooling. Compared to other materials, thermal paste delivers superior heat transfer capabilities and is typically more cost-effective than thermal pads. Thermal pads also offer several benefits, including ease of installation, electrical insulation, resistance to drying out over time, unlike thermal paste, and minimal maintenance requirements.
But every other material has disadvantages. Thermal paste is a bit more complicated to use than the remaining two. You must spread it evenly and be careful not to get it on your hands or clothes. The paste will eventually dry out on the device, so users need to maintain or replace it, even though it is reusable to a certain extent. On the other hand, Thermal pads have lower thermal conductivity and cannot be used repeatedly. They are not reusable once taken out and need to be replaced with a new one.
Therefore, your choice can be based on specific requirements. Thermal tape is suitable for applications with moderate thermal conductivity requirements, making it ideal for scenarios that require adhesion and heat dissipation without the need for mechanical fasteners. Thermal paste offers superior thermal conductivity, making it suitable for high-heat-dissipation applications. Thermal pads have a higher thermal conductivity than thermal tape and share the advantages of easy installation and insulation. However, they may fail in scenarios demanding extremely high thermal conductivity.
Thermal interface materials are required due to the limitations of mechanical processing. In many equipment manufacturing processes, such as circuit board fabrication and assembly, it is impossible to achieve perfectly smooth surfaces that can tightly adhere to housings or heat sinks.
Consequently, components like CPU and chips often have numerous gaps or voids between themselves and the heat sink. Since air is not an efficient conductor of heat, these gaps significantly impair heat dissipation efficiency. When temperatures become excessively high, device operation is compromised and the equipment itself may suffer damage. Therefore, many everyday devices require thermal interface materials to protect them and maintain their operational lifespan.
