What is a thermal pad

In computer science and electronics, many manufacturers prefer to use a thermal pad over other methods as a complement to the heatsink to cool their components. In this article we will tell you what a thermal pad is, how it differs from conventional thermal paste, and in what scenarios you will be interested in using it.

Thermal pads are also known as thermal pads, thermoconductive pads or thermal interface pads, and are a component that is used in computing and electronics as part of a set of cooling devices.

When we say that they are part of a set of cooling devices, we mean that you cannot actually use a thermal pad by itself because, by definition, they are an intermediate element between the device that generates heat and the one that dissipates it. In other words, they are an intermediary in the heat transmission process.

they are formed by elements with a high thermal conductivity, so that they can quickly and efficiently transfer heat from the element that generates it (for example a processor) to the one that dissipates it (for example, its heatsink).

Another characteristic of these elements is that they must be ductile, that is, they must be relatively soft to adapt well to the surfaces between which they are placed, since these will never be perfectly smooth. In fact, this is precisely the reason why it is necessary to use an intermediary for heat transfer, which can be thermal paste or, as we are explaining today, thermal pads.

According to the above, another characteristic of this product is that at room temperature they are relatively firm, but at high temperatures they become softer, filling the gaps between the two surfaces even better.