Heat sink compound is used to promote effective heat transfer between a CPU and heat sink. Ceramic and metallic substances are common, while carbon fibers and diamond dust are more expensive but effective. The compound fills microscopic flaws to create a better connection.
Heat sink compound is a substance used in the installation of heat sinks, usually on a central processing unit (CPU) or similar computing device, to promote effective heat transfer. A number of different substances can be used in the production of such compounds, although ceramic materials such as zinc oxide and beryllium oxide are quite common, as are metallic substances such as silver and aluminum. Carbon fibers and even diamond dust can also be used in the production of these compounds, and while quite effective, such formulas are also significantly more expensive than the other types. Heat sink compound may not always be required for heat sink installation, as some heat sinks come with similar products already applied by the manufacturer.
Also sometimes called thermal grease or thermal compound, heat sink compound is created to increase the effective transfer of heat between a device such as a CPU and the heat sink attached to the device. A heat sink is usually designed with a flat surface intended to contact the CPU or similar device. During typical use of a computer, the CPU and other components can produce a large amount of heat, which can cause problems with your computer, including hardware damage. To alleviate this heat buildup, heat is transferred by physical contact from the CPU to the heat sink, where it is then distributed into the air and fans pull the heat away from the computer.
While the flat surface on a heat sink and the CPU may appear to make perfect contact, the microscopic flaws and dimples on each surface can actually greatly reduce how well they make contact with each other. Heat sink compound is applied to the surface of the heat sink to fill these spaces and create a more effective connection between the two surfaces. By using materials such as ceramic powders, such as beryllium oxide, this is made even more effective.
This is because ceramic materials transfer heat even more effectively than air, so heat transfer is not only made more accurate, but uses more conductive materials. Heat sink compound made with metallic substances such as silver may perform even better than ceramic, but typically cost more. Carbonaceous materials such as diamond dust and carbon fiber are usually the most effective, but are also often the most expensive. Whichever conductor is used, it is typically suspended in a gel-like semi-fluid base or viscous oil. Silicone grease is usually used as the base, although mineral oils can also be used as a medium in the heat sink compound.
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