Thermal management solutions have become the need of the hour due to the high working capacity and reduced size of almost all the devices we use in our daily lives. Be it a smartphone, laptop, or wearable gadget. 

The 3M has understood this requirement perfectly and has introduced several thermally conductive products that are specifically designed to be used in certain applications. 

There are transfer tapes, thermal pastes and greases, and several other materials. We are going to discuss 3M thermally conductive acrylic interface pad 5590H in this article today. 

It will give you an overall idea about this particular product and how and where you can use it. We will take a deeper dive into the 3M thermally conductive acrylic interface pad 5590H!

Why Do We Need Acrylic Interface Pad?

When the electronic or electric devices are in action they generate heat. If the heat generation process is left unchecked it will cause damage to the device and hinder its performance. 

To successfully transfer the heat thermally conductive interface materials can be used, now there are several types of conductive material but it all depends on the contact surface of the device and application that will decide which material would be suitable to be used. 

What Should be the Ideal Characteristics of Thermally Conductive Acrylic Interface Pads?

Thermally conductive interface pads are resistant to conduction in cases. This situation arises when there isn’t close contact between two substrates. A clean and smooth surface or substrate can be an ideal way to start. 

The conductive resistance can be avoided by applying a conformable material. The conformable material can displace the air once applied appropriately. When the layer of the material is thin, it will provide extra help to combat resistance issues that may occur in later stages. 

Thicker material may work better if the material wets out, which leads to less air becoming trapped. Thermal interface material may include an adhesive on one, both, or neither side. 

The acrylic material is easy to control for a die-cut or laser cut. When determining the correct thermal interface material, it’s important that what is chosen provides a thermal path, so the device can cool properly.

Some of The Characteristics Are: 

Thermal Conductivity

Thermal conductivity is the material’s ability to transfer heat from one place to another. 

Conformability

 This is the ability of the material to adjust to the surface. It is beneficial as this material can be used in several applications.

Dielectric Strength

It defines the ability of the material’s high performance to combine efficient heat transfer with electrical isolation properties.

Versatility

This defines the analysis of the thermal pathway that leads to material selection and component configuration.

Efficiency

This can be explained by the ease of use and handling during assembly and Incorporated effectiveness and component delivery methods.

Cost-Effectiveness

The material should not put an economic burden on production. A material is desired only when it is cost-effective. The sophisticated dispersion chemistry can help in controlling the production cost and improve the uniformity of the process. The performance and durability benefits are highly required.

What Are the Applications?

• The acrylic pads can be used as gap fillers for small as well as bigger spots in electronic components.
• It can provide heat conduction in the IC packaging process. 
• You can use 3M thermally conductive acrylic interface pad 5590H to bond heat sinks. 
• This is used in the process of chip manufacturing as it provides good conduction to the chip head.
• This thermal interface material can be used in the PCB boards of LED lights. 
• Another very good and common application is in the display of smart TVs. 
• This is also used in automotive, there are several small functions in automotive that generate heat and need efficient conduction. 
• It is successfully used in a process that requires some sort of chip on film for heat conduction. 
• The 3M thermally conductive acrylic interface pad 5590H can be defined as the core component of battery thermal management. 

Benefits 

• It has very good and high thermal conductivity.
• It also has good electrical insulation properties.
• The softness and conformability are desired features that prove to even out the non-flat surfaces.
• It also has a slight tack that allows pre-assembly.
• It also has a very good wet-ability. This feature is required for improved and lower thermal resistance.

Why Are Acrylic Interface Pads More Common?

There are several reasons to choose acrylic interface pads over other materials. 

One such reason is, unlike the silicone pads, the acrylic pads do not contain silicone oil that can seep into other proximity components to damage the device. 

Also, the acrylic has low outgassing for amazing dielectric performance. 

The acrylic pads are also cost-effective in contrast to the silicone pad. 

The acrylic helps to keep the device lightweight. Size and weight can be major factors. 

Conclusion 

The 3M thermally conductive acrylic interface pad 5590H is a very soft and squishy material. Its’ ability to conform to rough or uneven surfaces is desired by designers. This is very handy in some of the application processes. 

The 3M thermally conductive acrylic interface pad can be used to pull the heat away from areas that are prone to damage due to high heat generated by the device. It can be found between the electrical component and heat spreader or a heat sink. It helps in dissipating the heat produced in the unit.