Liquid metal for cooling components

Although liquid metal has been used very successfully for cooling for many years, this high-performance heat transfer agent is little or no known to many users. With proper application and planning, it enables an enormous increase in the performance of the cooling system used.

As early as 2005, we were the first company in the world to enter into a partnership with the then still young German manufacturer Coollaboratory in order to use the previously unknown Coollaboratory Liqid Pro liquid metal in our own cooling systems and for direct sales as the world's first distributor to retailers and end customers and to distribute industrial customers. In the meantime, the thermal paste has been one of the best thermal conductors in the world for many years and is used in a variety of applications to improve the transfer of waste heat. These include:

  • Computer
  • Notebooks
  • 3D printer
  • Game consoles
  • Opto-electronics (laser, ...)
  • Industrial equipment and components
  • and much more

 

The possible uses are almost limitless if a good heat transfer has to be ensured and the cooler and the component to be cooled can be mechanically fixed to one another. If no fixation is possible, our extremely powerful High Silver thermal adhesive is recommended.

But what makes liquid metal so special for cooling?

Coollaboratory Liquid Pro

In contrast to most heat transfer agents, liquid metal does not contain any silicones, oils or other fillers and usually consists exclusively of metal in the form of a metal alloy specially designed for use on thermal components. Due to this composition, liquid metal can transport the waste heat away from the heat source to the cooler much faster and more effectively, which means that the component to be cooled is better cooled. For this purpose, the liquid metal lays itself in the smallest unevenness of the contact surfaces in order to displace insulators such as air and to optimize the surface for heat transfer.

Another advantage of liquid metal is its extremely long service life, as the heat-conducting agent does not contain any volatile substances. For example, the use of a liquid metal thermal paste or a liquid metal thermal pad can be implemented maintenance-free for many years, since the performance does not decrease over time.

What are the differences between the various liquid metal thermal paste?

The Coollaboratory Liquid Pro was the world's first liquid metal thermal paste, although the manufacturer has developed two further liquid metal thermal pastes in recent years with the Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra and the Coollaboratory Liquid Extreme. The manufacturer worked on the recipes for these two heat transfer agents in order to improve the consistency and usability of the liquid metal and to adapt it to different needs.

The Liquid Pro is liquid and is dosed with a syringe and then applied very thinly to the contact surface of the component to be cooled and the cooler. The Liquid Ultra has a slightly more pasty shape, which makes it easier to apply with a brush. The consistency of the Liquid Extreme goes even further in the direction of a normal thermal paste, which is why it is the easiest to use for many users. What both have in common, however, is that they do not quite come close to the Liquid Pro in terms of performance due to the better usability. In addition, they must not be directly associated with the material aluminum. However, it can be used on copper, nickel, silver and other metals.

Are there also metal thermal pads?

Coollaboratory Liquid MetalPad

Yes, in addition to the thermal pastes, the manufacturer has also developed thermal conductive pads (Coollaboratory Liquid MetalPad) made of high-quality metal alloys, which ensure even easier application and, above all, use on aluminum. When using these heat-conducting pads, the heat-conducting pad must be briefly liquefied by means of controlled heating (the so-called burn-in) so that the liquid metal can penetrate into the smallest bumps in the contact surfaces and thus also perform well. The Coollaboratory Liquid MetalPads with different dimensions can of course be found in our online shop, as can the manufacturer's liquid metal thermal paste.

Tip: In combination with copper foils or sheets, a larger gap size can also be compensated for with liquid metal thermal paste and pads. For this purpose, the copper elements are simply used in a sandwich process with the liquid metal. The simplest variant is the combination of Liquid MetalPad and one or more, e.g. 0.5 mm thick, copper foils, for example to bridge the usually larger distances between processor and cooler in notebooks.

For larger quantities or special fillings (e.g. for industrial use), please contact our sales department, who will then clarify a corresponding implementation. Of course, all liquid metal thermal compounds and pads are RoHS-compliant.

Buy liquid metal thermal paste now!

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MADE IN GERMANY


We develop and produce in Germany.