Arctic Silver
Encyclopedia
Arctic Silver Inc. is a privately owned engineering corporation which develops and manufactures thermally conductive compounds and thermal adhesives for the application of heat sink
s to high-powered electronic components such as processors, LED
s, chipset
s and other electronic devices. Founded in 1999, the company's facilities are located in Visalia, California
, USA.
A succession of silver formulations were its leading products in the mid-2000's, as is the current Arctic Silver 5. Other developments include ceramic (non-conductive) compounds as well as thermal interface epoxy adhesives for use where permanence is desirable, or where no other heatsink attachment method is available.
The current version of the company's eponymous thermal interface material, Arctic Silver 5, is a high-density compound of silver
, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide
, and boron nitride
in a proprietary polysynthetic oil base. It is at least 88% thermally-conductive material by weight. AS-5 consists of three unique shapes and sizes of micrometer
sized silver, in addition to sub-micrometer sized ceramic
particles. It does not contain any silicone
.
Its thermal resistance is rated as less than 0.0045°C-in²/Watt.
In a 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com review which compared 80 thermal interface materials, AS-5 tied for first overall, with an A+ rating.
Matrix:
Matrix is the company's most recent thermal compound in collaboration with TIM Consultants. It consists of a silicone oil
base that contains aluminum, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide particles. It was designed for application on the large surface areas of contemporary CPUs and GPUs.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review gave Matrix (Labeled TIM Consultants T-C Grease 0098) an A rating.
Arctic Alumina:
Arctic Alumina is a ceramic
s-based polysynthetic thermal compound using three shapes and sizes of sub-micrometer aluminum oxide as a thermal transfer medium, instead of silver. It is a lower-cost product than Arctic Silver 5.
Its thermal resistance is specified at <0.0100°C-in²/Watt
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Alumina in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Céramique:
Céramique is a high-density layered composite of five uniquely shaped, sub-micrometer sized particles of thermally conductive boron nitride, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide. All of these are ceramic
substances, that is they have crystalline molecular structure
s. Céramique' s suspension fluid is a polysynthetic oil base. It is an electrical insulator, which makes it a better choice than pastes that contain metal, (such as AS-5) when there is a possibility that the thermal compound could come in contact with the pins of an integrated circuit
such as exposed resistors on the tops of some chip packages or a tightly packed circuit board or expansion card.
Its thermal resistance is rated at less than 0.0070°C-in²/Watt.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Céramique in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive
is a silver-based dual component epoxy adhesive. Like other metal based thermal compounds, the cured adhesive can be conductive and capacitive, so when any electronic contacts are touched, a ceramic based thermal adhesive is recommended instead.
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive:
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive is a ceramic
s-based dual component epoxy adhesive which uses a layered composite of aluminum oxide and boron nitride. It is an electrical insulator.
ArctiClean is designed to remove thermal heatsink paste using two components in a two-step process. In the first step Thermal Material Remover (MSDS) emulsifies the existing paste. Then Thermal Surface Purifier (MSDS) is applied to remove any residue from the first step and further clean the surface.
All products are RoHS compliant.
Arctic Silver Inc. is a privately owned engineering corporation which develops and manufactures thermally conductive compounds and thermal adhesives for the application of heat sink
s to high-powered electronic components such as processors, LED
s, chipset
s and other electronic devices. Founded in 1999, the company's facilities are located in Visalia, California
, USA.
A succession of silver formulations were its leading products in the mid-2000's, as is the current Arctic Silver 5. Other developments include ceramic (non-conductive) compounds as well as thermal interface epoxy adhesives for use where permanence is desirable, or where no other heatsink attachment method is available.
The current version of the company's eponymous thermal interface material, Arctic Silver 5, is a high-density compound of silver
, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide
, and boron nitride
in a proprietary polysynthetic oil base. It is at least 88% thermally-conductive material by weight. AS-5 consists of three unique shapes and sizes of micrometer
sized silver, in addition to sub-micrometer sized ceramic
particles. It does not contain any silicone
.
Its thermal resistance is rated as less than 0.0045°C-in²/Watt.
In a 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com review which compared 80 thermal interface materials, AS-5 tied for first overall, with an A+ rating.
Matrix:
Matrix is the company's most recent thermal compound in collaboration with TIM Consultants. It consists of a silicone oil
base that contains aluminum, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide particles. It was designed for application on the large surface areas of contemporary CPUs and GPUs.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review gave Matrix (Labeled TIM Consultants T-C Grease 0098) an A rating.
Arctic Alumina:
Arctic Alumina is a ceramic
s-based polysynthetic thermal compound using three shapes and sizes of sub-micrometer aluminum oxide as a thermal transfer medium, instead of silver. It is a lower-cost product than Arctic Silver 5.
Its thermal resistance is specified at <0.0100°C-in²/Watt
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Alumina in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Céramique:
Céramique is a high-density layered composite of five uniquely shaped, sub-micrometer sized particles of thermally conductive boron nitride, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide. All of these are ceramic
substances, that is they have crystalline molecular structure
s. Céramique' s suspension fluid is a polysynthetic oil base. It is an electrical insulator, which makes it a better choice than pastes that contain metal, (such as AS-5) when there is a possibility that the thermal compound could come in contact with the pins of an integrated circuit
such as exposed resistors on the tops of some chip packages or a tightly packed circuit board or expansion card.
Its thermal resistance is rated at less than 0.0070°C-in²/Watt.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Céramique in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive
is a silver-based dual component epoxy adhesive. Like other metal based thermal compounds, the cured adhesive can be conductive and capacitive, so when any electronic contacts are touched, a ceramic based thermal adhesive is recommended instead.
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive:
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive is a ceramic
s-based dual component epoxy adhesive which uses a layered composite of aluminum oxide and boron nitride. It is an electrical insulator.
ArctiClean is designed to remove thermal heatsink paste using two components in a two-step process. In the first step Thermal Material Remover (MSDS) emulsifies the existing paste. Then Thermal Surface Purifier (MSDS) is applied to remove any residue from the first step and further clean the surface.
All products are RoHS compliant.
Arctic Silver Inc. is a privately owned engineering corporation which develops and manufactures thermally conductive compounds and thermal adhesives for the application of heat sink
s to high-powered electronic components such as processors, LED
s, chipset
s and other electronic devices. Founded in 1999, the company's facilities are located in Visalia, California
, USA.
A succession of silver formulations were its leading products in the mid-2000's, as is the current Arctic Silver 5. Other developments include ceramic (non-conductive) compounds as well as thermal interface epoxy adhesives for use where permanence is desirable, or where no other heatsink attachment method is available.
The current version of the company's eponymous thermal interface material, Arctic Silver 5, is a high-density compound of silver
, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide
, and boron nitride
in a proprietary polysynthetic oil base. It is at least 88% thermally-conductive material by weight. AS-5 consists of three unique shapes and sizes of micrometer
sized silver, in addition to sub-micrometer sized ceramic
particles. It does not contain any silicone
.
Its thermal resistance is rated as less than 0.0045°C-in²/Watt.
In a 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com review which compared 80 thermal interface materials, AS-5 tied for first overall, with an A+ rating.
Matrix:
Matrix is the company's most recent thermal compound in collaboration with TIM Consultants. It consists of a silicone oil
base that contains aluminum, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide particles. It was designed for application on the large surface areas of contemporary CPUs and GPUs.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review gave Matrix (Labeled TIM Consultants T-C Grease 0098) an A rating.
Arctic Alumina:
Arctic Alumina is a ceramic
s-based polysynthetic thermal compound using three shapes and sizes of sub-micrometer aluminum oxide as a thermal transfer medium, instead of silver. It is a lower-cost product than Arctic Silver 5.
Its thermal resistance is specified at <0.0100°C-in²/Watt
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Alumina in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Céramique:
Céramique is a high-density layered composite of five uniquely shaped, sub-micrometer sized particles of thermally conductive boron nitride, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide. All of these are ceramic
substances, that is they have crystalline molecular structure
s. Céramique' s suspension fluid is a polysynthetic oil base. It is an electrical insulator, which makes it a better choice than pastes that contain metal, (such as AS-5) when there is a possibility that the thermal compound could come in contact with the pins of an integrated circuit
such as exposed resistors on the tops of some chip packages or a tightly packed circuit board or expansion card.
Its thermal resistance is rated at less than 0.0070°C-in²/Watt.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Céramique in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive
is a silver-based dual component epoxy adhesive. Like other metal based thermal compounds, the cured adhesive can be conductive and capacitive, so when any electronic contacts are touched, a ceramic based thermal adhesive is recommended instead.
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive:
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive is a ceramic
s-based dual component epoxy adhesive which uses a layered composite of aluminum oxide and boron nitride. It is an electrical insulator.
ArctiClean is designed to remove thermal heatsink paste using two components in a two-step process. In the first step Thermal Material Remover (MSDS) emulsifies the existing paste. Then Thermal Surface Purifier (MSDS) is applied to remove any residue from the first step and further clean the surface.
All products are RoHS compliant.
Heat sink
A heat sink is a term for a component or assembly that transfers heat generated within a solid material to a fluid medium, such as air or a liquid. Examples of heat sinks are the heat exchangers used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems and the radiator in a car...
s to high-powered electronic components such as processors, LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
s, chipset
Chipset
A chipset, PC chipset, or chip set refers to a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together. They are usually marketed as a single product.- Computers :...
s and other electronic devices. Founded in 1999, the company's facilities are located in Visalia, California
Visalia, California
Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
, USA.
History
The Arctic Silver company was founded by Nevin House in 1999. Headquartered in Visalia, California, USA, House's original product was a custom modified version of HP's Turbocooler heatsink design from servers and workstations. That experience led to research in thermal compounds, and their material composition. House experimented with silver based solutions, and success with improved formulas led to a change in business focus, to thermal interface compounds.A succession of silver formulations were its leading products in the mid-2000's, as is the current Arctic Silver 5. Other developments include ceramic (non-conductive) compounds as well as thermal interface epoxy adhesives for use where permanence is desirable, or where no other heatsink attachment method is available.
Thermal interface materials
Arctic Silver 5 (AS-5):The current version of the company's eponymous thermal interface material, Arctic Silver 5, is a high-density compound of silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide
Zinc oxide
Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the formula ZnO. It is a white powder that is insoluble in water. The powder is widely used as an additive into numerous materials and products including plastics, ceramics, glass, cement, rubber , lubricants, paints, ointments, adhesives, sealants,...
, and boron nitride
Boron nitride
Boron nitride is a chemical compound with chemical formula BN, consisting of equal numbers of boron and nitrogen atoms. BN is isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice and thus exists in various crystalline forms...
in a proprietary polysynthetic oil base. It is at least 88% thermally-conductive material by weight. AS-5 consists of three unique shapes and sizes of micrometer
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
sized silver, in addition to sub-micrometer sized ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
particles. It does not contain any silicone
Silicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....
.
Its thermal resistance is rated as less than 0.0045°C-in²/Watt.
In a 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com review which compared 80 thermal interface materials, AS-5 tied for first overall, with an A+ rating.
Matrix:
Matrix is the company's most recent thermal compound in collaboration with TIM Consultants. It consists of a silicone oil
Silicone oil
A silicone oil is any polymerized siloxanes with organic side chains. They are formed of alternating silicon-oxygen atoms or siloxane, rather than carbon atoms . Other species attach to the tetravalent silicon atoms, not to the divalent oxygen atoms which are fully committed to forming the...
base that contains aluminum, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide particles. It was designed for application on the large surface areas of contemporary CPUs and GPUs.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review gave Matrix (Labeled TIM Consultants T-C Grease 0098) an A rating.
Arctic Alumina:
Arctic Alumina is a ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s-based polysynthetic thermal compound using three shapes and sizes of sub-micrometer aluminum oxide as a thermal transfer medium, instead of silver. It is a lower-cost product than Arctic Silver 5.
Its thermal resistance is specified at <0.0100°C-in²/Watt
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Alumina in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Céramique:
Céramique is a high-density layered composite of five uniquely shaped, sub-micrometer sized particles of thermally conductive boron nitride, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide. All of these are ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
substances, that is they have crystalline molecular structure
Molecular structure
The molecular structure of a substance is described by the combination of nuclei and electrons that comprise its constitute molecules. This includes the molecular geometry , the electronic properties of the...
s. Céramique
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
such as exposed resistors on the tops of some chip packages or a tightly packed circuit board or expansion card.
Its thermal resistance is rated at less than 0.0070°C-in²/Watt.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Céramique in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Thermal interface adhesives
Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive:Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive
Thermal adhesive
Thermal adhesive is a type of thermally conductive glue used for electronic components and heatsinks. Thermal adhesive is similar to thermal paste in that it is used for transferring heat from one surface to another...
is a silver-based dual component epoxy adhesive. Like other metal based thermal compounds, the cured adhesive can be conductive and capacitive, so when any electronic contacts are touched, a ceramic based thermal adhesive is recommended instead.
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive:
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive is a ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s-based dual component epoxy adhesive which uses a layered composite of aluminum oxide and boron nitride. It is an electrical insulator.
Cleaning
ArctiClean:ArctiClean is designed to remove thermal heatsink paste using two components in a two-step process. In the first step Thermal Material Remover (MSDS) emulsifies the existing paste. Then Thermal Surface Purifier (MSDS) is applied to remove any residue from the first step and further clean the surface.
All products are RoHS compliant.
OEM Only Products
Several products are available only to manufacturers and laboratories:- Medium and slow-curing ceramic epoxy
- Medium, slow, and extra-slow-curing silver epoxy
Arctic Silver Inc. is a privately owned engineering corporation which develops and manufactures thermally conductive compounds and thermal adhesives for the application of heat sink
Heat sink
A heat sink is a term for a component or assembly that transfers heat generated within a solid material to a fluid medium, such as air or a liquid. Examples of heat sinks are the heat exchangers used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems and the radiator in a car...
s to high-powered electronic components such as processors, LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
s, chipset
Chipset
A chipset, PC chipset, or chip set refers to a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together. They are usually marketed as a single product.- Computers :...
s and other electronic devices. Founded in 1999, the company's facilities are located in Visalia, California
Visalia, California
Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
, USA.
History
The Arctic Silver company was founded by Nevin House in 1999. Headquartered in Visalia, California, USA, House's original product was a custom modified version of HP's Turbocooler heatsink design from servers and workstations. That experience led to research in thermal compounds, and their material composition. House experimented with silver based solutions, and success with improved formulas led to a change in business focus, to thermal interface compounds.A succession of silver formulations were its leading products in the mid-2000's, as is the current Arctic Silver 5. Other developments include ceramic (non-conductive) compounds as well as thermal interface epoxy adhesives for use where permanence is desirable, or where no other heatsink attachment method is available.
Thermal interface materials
Arctic Silver 5 (AS-5):The current version of the company's eponymous thermal interface material, Arctic Silver 5, is a high-density compound of silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide
Zinc oxide
Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the formula ZnO. It is a white powder that is insoluble in water. The powder is widely used as an additive into numerous materials and products including plastics, ceramics, glass, cement, rubber , lubricants, paints, ointments, adhesives, sealants,...
, and boron nitride
Boron nitride
Boron nitride is a chemical compound with chemical formula BN, consisting of equal numbers of boron and nitrogen atoms. BN is isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice and thus exists in various crystalline forms...
in a proprietary polysynthetic oil base. It is at least 88% thermally-conductive material by weight. AS-5 consists of three unique shapes and sizes of micrometer
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
sized silver, in addition to sub-micrometer sized ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
particles. It does not contain any silicone
Silicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....
.
Its thermal resistance is rated as less than 0.0045°C-in²/Watt.
In a 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com review which compared 80 thermal interface materials, AS-5 tied for first overall, with an A+ rating.
Matrix:
Matrix is the company's most recent thermal compound in collaboration with TIM Consultants. It consists of a silicone oil
Silicone oil
A silicone oil is any polymerized siloxanes with organic side chains. They are formed of alternating silicon-oxygen atoms or siloxane, rather than carbon atoms . Other species attach to the tetravalent silicon atoms, not to the divalent oxygen atoms which are fully committed to forming the...
base that contains aluminum, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide particles. It was designed for application on the large surface areas of contemporary CPUs and GPUs.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review gave Matrix (Labeled TIM Consultants T-C Grease 0098) an A rating.
Arctic Alumina:
Arctic Alumina is a ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s-based polysynthetic thermal compound using three shapes and sizes of sub-micrometer aluminum oxide as a thermal transfer medium, instead of silver. It is a lower-cost product than Arctic Silver 5.
Its thermal resistance is specified at <0.0100°C-in²/Watt
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Alumina in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Céramique:
Céramique is a high-density layered composite of five uniquely shaped, sub-micrometer sized particles of thermally conductive boron nitride, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide. All of these are ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
substances, that is they have crystalline molecular structure
Molecular structure
The molecular structure of a substance is described by the combination of nuclei and electrons that comprise its constitute molecules. This includes the molecular geometry , the electronic properties of the...
s. Céramique
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
such as exposed resistors on the tops of some chip packages or a tightly packed circuit board or expansion card.
Its thermal resistance is rated at less than 0.0070°C-in²/Watt.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Céramique in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Thermal interface adhesives
Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive:Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive
Thermal adhesive
Thermal adhesive is a type of thermally conductive glue used for electronic components and heatsinks. Thermal adhesive is similar to thermal paste in that it is used for transferring heat from one surface to another...
is a silver-based dual component epoxy adhesive. Like other metal based thermal compounds, the cured adhesive can be conductive and capacitive, so when any electronic contacts are touched, a ceramic based thermal adhesive is recommended instead.
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive:
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive is a ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s-based dual component epoxy adhesive which uses a layered composite of aluminum oxide and boron nitride. It is an electrical insulator.
Cleaning
ArctiClean:ArctiClean is designed to remove thermal heatsink paste using two components in a two-step process. In the first step Thermal Material Remover (MSDS) emulsifies the existing paste. Then Thermal Surface Purifier (MSDS) is applied to remove any residue from the first step and further clean the surface.
All products are RoHS compliant.
OEM Only Products
Several products are available only to manufacturers and laboratories:- Medium and slow-curing ceramic epoxy
- Medium, slow, and extra-slow-curing silver epoxy
Arctic Silver Inc. is a privately owned engineering corporation which develops and manufactures thermally conductive compounds and thermal adhesives for the application of heat sink
Heat sink
A heat sink is a term for a component or assembly that transfers heat generated within a solid material to a fluid medium, such as air or a liquid. Examples of heat sinks are the heat exchangers used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems and the radiator in a car...
s to high-powered electronic components such as processors, LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
s, chipset
Chipset
A chipset, PC chipset, or chip set refers to a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that are designed to work together. They are usually marketed as a single product.- Computers :...
s and other electronic devices. Founded in 1999, the company's facilities are located in Visalia, California
Visalia, California
Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
, USA.
History
The Arctic Silver company was founded by Nevin House in 1999. Headquartered in Visalia, California, USA, House's original product was a custom modified version of HP's Turbocooler heatsink design from servers and workstations. That experience led to research in thermal compounds, and their material composition. House experimented with silver based solutions, and success with improved formulas led to a change in business focus, to thermal interface compounds.A succession of silver formulations were its leading products in the mid-2000's, as is the current Arctic Silver 5. Other developments include ceramic (non-conductive) compounds as well as thermal interface epoxy adhesives for use where permanence is desirable, or where no other heatsink attachment method is available.
Thermal interface materials
Arctic Silver 5 (AS-5):The current version of the company's eponymous thermal interface material, Arctic Silver 5, is a high-density compound of silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide
Zinc oxide
Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the formula ZnO. It is a white powder that is insoluble in water. The powder is widely used as an additive into numerous materials and products including plastics, ceramics, glass, cement, rubber , lubricants, paints, ointments, adhesives, sealants,...
, and boron nitride
Boron nitride
Boron nitride is a chemical compound with chemical formula BN, consisting of equal numbers of boron and nitrogen atoms. BN is isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice and thus exists in various crystalline forms...
in a proprietary polysynthetic oil base. It is at least 88% thermally-conductive material by weight. AS-5 consists of three unique shapes and sizes of micrometer
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
sized silver, in addition to sub-micrometer sized ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
particles. It does not contain any silicone
Silicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....
.
Its thermal resistance is rated as less than 0.0045°C-in²/Watt.
In a 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com review which compared 80 thermal interface materials, AS-5 tied for first overall, with an A+ rating.
Matrix:
Matrix is the company's most recent thermal compound in collaboration with TIM Consultants. It consists of a silicone oil
Silicone oil
A silicone oil is any polymerized siloxanes with organic side chains. They are formed of alternating silicon-oxygen atoms or siloxane, rather than carbon atoms . Other species attach to the tetravalent silicon atoms, not to the divalent oxygen atoms which are fully committed to forming the...
base that contains aluminum, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide particles. It was designed for application on the large surface areas of contemporary CPUs and GPUs.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review gave Matrix (Labeled TIM Consultants T-C Grease 0098) an A rating.
Arctic Alumina:
Arctic Alumina is a ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s-based polysynthetic thermal compound using three shapes and sizes of sub-micrometer aluminum oxide as a thermal transfer medium, instead of silver. It is a lower-cost product than Arctic Silver 5.
Its thermal resistance is specified at <0.0100°C-in²/Watt
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Alumina in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Céramique:
Céramique is a high-density layered composite of five uniquely shaped, sub-micrometer sized particles of thermally conductive boron nitride, aluminum oxide, and zinc oxide. All of these are ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
substances, that is they have crystalline molecular structure
Molecular structure
The molecular structure of a substance is described by the combination of nuclei and electrons that comprise its constitute molecules. This includes the molecular geometry , the electronic properties of the...
s. Céramique
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
such as exposed resistors on the tops of some chip packages or a tightly packed circuit board or expansion card.
Its thermal resistance is rated at less than 0.0070°C-in²/Watt.
The 2009 BenchmarkReviews.com 80-product review rated Céramique in the Good class, with a B+ rating.
Thermal interface adhesives
Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive:Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive
Thermal adhesive
Thermal adhesive is a type of thermally conductive glue used for electronic components and heatsinks. Thermal adhesive is similar to thermal paste in that it is used for transferring heat from one surface to another...
is a silver-based dual component epoxy adhesive. Like other metal based thermal compounds, the cured adhesive can be conductive and capacitive, so when any electronic contacts are touched, a ceramic based thermal adhesive is recommended instead.
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive:
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive is a ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s-based dual component epoxy adhesive which uses a layered composite of aluminum oxide and boron nitride. It is an electrical insulator.
Cleaning
ArctiClean:ArctiClean is designed to remove thermal heatsink paste using two components in a two-step process. In the first step Thermal Material Remover (MSDS) emulsifies the existing paste. Then Thermal Surface Purifier (MSDS) is applied to remove any residue from the first step and further clean the surface.
All products are RoHS compliant.
OEM Only Products
Several products are available only to manufacturers and laboratories:- Medium and slow-curing ceramic epoxy
- Medium, slow, and extra-slow-curing silver epoxy