New Thermally Conductive Healthcare Silicone Elastomers from NuSil

NuSil Technology LLC, based in Carpinteria, Calif., recently rolled out two thermally conductive healthcare silicone elastomers. According to the company, the elastomers can be used as a cure-in-place adhesive or potting compound between electrical/electric components and heat sinks as part of a thermal management regime for medical devices.

The company’s MED-2980 and MED-2955 are able to wet out on a variety of substrates to ensure excellent contact between uneven surfaces, according to officials. The low modulus characteristic of these elastomers ensures that, during operational thermal cycling, the bond line will not warp or break sensitive electronic components, according to the company.

MED-2980, is a 1.6 W/(mK) thermally conductive silicone, available in a two-part configuration best suited for larger devices. MED-2955 is designed to have low volatility and low ionic content for more sensitive electronic devices or processes. The low volatility means MED-2955 can work best in processing environments in which high heat or vacuum conditions require minimal contamination on adjacent parts. It also works for hermetically or near hermetically sealed environments in which low volatility is required. MED-2955 provides a thin bond line and low thermal resistance with a bulk thermal conductivity of 0.63 W/mK. Both the MED-2955 and MED-2980 can be cured at low temperatures or be heat accelerated and are non-cytotoxic.

“Miniaturization of electronic packages in medical devices has led to using thinner and more fragile materials, and the medical device industry has many challenges due to the risks involved,” said Brian Nash, Vice President, Sales and Marketing. “By formulating adhesives such as these, we are applying our years of expertise in the regulatory environment, as well as designing advanced silicones for electronics, to fully support companies operating in this exciting, yet challenging, industry.”