Advanced Silicones Handle Heat, Stress, and More

By Jason Wei, Senior Scientist, Dow Consumer & Electronics

5G designs are putting a greater density of high-power components into smaller spaces. As power requirements and energy consumption rise, the amount of heat generated also increases. Unless this heat is dissipated, 5G electronics are at risk. That is why Dow has developed innovative thermal management materials, including several award-winning products, along with a 5G Ecosystem website for designers and manufacturers of consumer devices, telecommunications infrastructure, and cloud and data centers.

Advanced silicones from Dow are especially well-suited for solving 5G ecosystem challenges. These protective materials can resist 5G’s higher temperatures while providing longer-lasting heat resistance without a significant loss in properties. With their low modulus, they also can relieve some of the stress that results when different electronics materials, such as metals and plastics, expand and contract at varying rates because of their different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs).

Solutions include DOWSIL™ TC-3035 S Thermal Gel that is used in 5G Smartphones and other communications devices that require greater power-chip efficiency. This heat-dissipating and stress-relieving material received Silver in the Next Generation Manufacturing category for the 2023 Edison Awards™.  DOWSIL™ TC-5550 Thermal Grease won a 2023 BIG Innovation Award and is designed especially for bare die architectures, which designers are using with 5G computing and telecommunications applications.

Silicone Thermal Gel for 5G Communications

DOWSIL™ TC-3035 S Thermal Gel is a one-part silicone gel with a thermal conductivity of 4.0 W/mK for moving heat away from 5G components like Smartphone processors, baseband processors and power modules. It can be applied with automatic dispensing or screen-printing equipment for greater production efficiency and in application-specific thicknesses and shapes. This award-winning material is also reworkable for reduced waste and can be peeled off easily and completely without residues.

In addition, DOWSIL™ TC-3035 S Thermal Gel resists shock, humidity and a wide range of temperatures. That is important with devices like Smartphones, which are occasionally dropped and often used in outdoor environments. DOWSIL™ TC-3035 S Thermal Gel is supplied as a non-flowable paste that resists slumping, but it can be pressed down to bond lines as thin as 60 µm for reduced stress concentrations. This silicone gel cures at room temperature for energy efficiency but heat up to 60°C can be applied for accelerated curing.

With its attractive balance of properties, DOWSIL™ TC-3035 S Thermal Gel also can be used with optical transceivers, small but powerful devices for sending and receiving data at the significantly faster speeds of 5G. Dow’s soft thermal gel moves heat from the transceiver’s core components to a metal shelter that serves as a heat sink. In base stations, DOWSIL™ TC-3035 S Thermal Gel can be used between baseband unit (BBU) chips and heat sinks, and with power amplifiers and power-supply rectifier modules.

Silicone Thermal Grease for 5G Computing and Telecommunications

DOWSIL™ TC-5550 Thermal Grease is a one-part grease with a thermal conductivity of 5.0 W/mK for the bare die architectures used in 5G applications that require superior heat dissipation. Examples include high-performance processors for central processing units, lidless graphics processing units, field programmable gate arrays, and application-specific integrated circuit chips. When traditional thermal greases are used, thermal cycling causes these materials to experience pump-out, the loss of grease from the interface.

For high throughput production, DOWSIL™ TC-5550 Thermal Grease can be screen printed or stencil printed onto heat sinks. This non-curing material is reworkable and has a low thermal resistance (0.04°C-cm2/W) for heat transfer. It can also achieve a low bond line thickness of 0.02 mm. Because DOWSIL™ TC-5550 Thermal Grease is thixotropic, it flows more readily when agitated, such as with mixing, but then recovers its original viscosity in a fixed time once the shear loads have been removed.

DOWSIL™ TC-5550 Thermal Grease contains no added solvents, which ensures reproducible properties over its shelf life and supports environmental sustainability initiatives. By maintaining a positive heat sink seal for improved heat transfer, this award-winning material is well-suited for consumer devices, where there is a continual trend toward smaller and more compact designs. As 5G electronics continue to become smaller, hotter and more powerful, advanced silicones from Dow can help solve a host of challenges.

Experience the 5G Ecosystem

As 5G technology puts more high-power components into smaller spaces, designers need to address more than just heat and stress. Energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and support for automated production are also key concerns. That is why Dow seeks to collaborate with forward-looking companies that want to develop 5G technologies while improving operations and reducing their carbon footprint.

With its product innovations and proven materials, the Dow 5G Ecosystem is delivering real-world solutions for consumer devices, telecommunications infrastructure, and cloud and data centers. In addition to thermal management materials, 5G designers can find Dow products that include adhesives and sealants, encapsulants, gels and coatings, and shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI)

For more information on Dow’s award-winning solutions and complete family of 5G products, including liquid silicone rubber (LSR) and silicone high consistency rubber (HCR), please visit our 5G Ecosystem website at: 5g.dow.com. Designers who need immediate assistance can also connect with a Dow Expert.

Sponsored content by Dow Silicones