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Thermal Interface Silicone Soft Pads

Q: How is a silicone thermal pad India different from a thermal gap filler?

A silicone thermal soft pad (TC-CA, TC-UP8) is a pre-formed, handleable elastomer sheet supplied with protective films. It is placed manually or by pick-and-place between components and heatsink, then compressed to final BLT by assembly clamping. A gap filler (SDP or CLG series) is a liquid or gel dispensed in-situ and cures or sets in the gap. Pads suit high-mix, lower-volume assembly where rework access is important; gap fillers suit automated high-volume dispensing lines where in-situ cure is preferred.

Q: What compression force is needed for TC-CA silicone thermal pads?

TC-CA grades with Asker C 2–10 require very low compression force — they deform under component weight alone in many assemblies. Higher-conductivity grades like TC-UP8 (Asker C 40) require moderate clamp pressure to achieve the rated BLT. Refer to the datasheet compression vs. thermal resistance curve for the specific grade; Pantronics India can provide this and recommend the minimum clamp load for your design.

Q: Can the silicone thermal pad India be used without any adhesive or fixing?

Yes — standard TC-CA pads are non-adhesive and are held in place purely by compression between the component and heatsink. The TC-SP-1.7 multi-layer type adds an adhesive silicone face for bonding to the cooling plate, while the glass-cloth face remains non-stick for repositioning. For permanent adhesive bonding without screws, consider the TC-SAS double-sided thermal tape series instead.

Q: What is the temperature operating range for Shin-Etsu silicone soft pads?

Shin-Etsu TC-CA and TC-UP8 series silicone soft pads maintain stable properties from –40°C to +180°C (continuous service). The silicone elastomer base resists thermal cycling fatigue, UV and ozone degradation — essential for EV battery packs and industrial power electronics that may see thousands of thermal cycles across a 10–15 year service life.

The authorised silicone thermal pad India source — Shin-Etsu TC-CA, TC-SP, TC-PEN and TC-UP8 series. Ultra-conformable pads that follow uneven, stepped or multi-component heat sources, from 1.5 to 8.0 W/m·K, Asker C 2–40 hardness and 0.5–10 mm thickness for EV battery packs, power modules and consumer electronics.

1.5–8.0

W/m·K

0.5–10.0mm

Thickness

V-0

UL94 (TC-CA grades)

Asker C 2–40

Hardness Range

Overview

What Are Silicone Soft Pads?

Silicone soft pads (TC-CA, TC-SP, TC-PEN, TC-UP8 series) are highly compressible, thermally conductive silicone elastomer pads designed to fill gaps and absorb height differences between components and heatsinks or cooling plates. Unlike rigid sheets, the low Asker C hardness (as low as 2) allows them to deform and conform to surfaces that sheets cannot.

The TC-SP-1.7 multi-layer type features a non-stick glass-cloth face for repositioning and an adhesive silicone face, making it ideal for large EV battery pack assemblies where pads must be pre-positioned, then pressed into final contact by the cooling plate. TC-PEN series pads achieve low density for weight-critical designs; TC-UP8 delivers 8.0 W/m·K — the highest-conductivity soft pad in the range.

Soft, gel-like consistency absorbs large height tolerances across multi-component assemblies
TC-SP-1.7 multi-layer: non-stick glass-cloth face for repositioning + adhesive face for fixing
TC-UP8 reaches 8.0 W/m·K rubber conductivity — highest in the soft pad range
TC-PEN grades achieve low density (2.6 g/cm³) for weight-sensitive designs
TC-CA grades UL94 V-0 (UL file E48923); TC-PEN and TC-UP8 V-0 equivalent
LMW siloxane <10 ppm on TC-PEN grades; <90 ppm on TC-CA grades

Application Scenes

Where Silicone Soft Pads Are Used

Soft pads span consumer electronics, industrial power, EV batteries and server infrastructure — anywhere surfaces are uneven or tolerance stack-up prevents sheets from maintaining consistent contact.

EV Battery Pack Thermal Management

TC-SP-1.7 multi-layer pads bridge the gap between cell modules and the cooling plate in large EV battery packs. The non-stick face allows repositioning during assembly; the adhesive face bonds to the cooling plate after the pack is closed.

Multi-Height PCB Component Cooling

Components on a PCB vary in height. A single TC-CA soft pad (0.5–5.0 mm thick) simultaneously makes thermal contact with all components of differing heights, absorbing the tolerance stack without mechanical force concentrations.

Server & Data Centre CPU Cooling

TC-UP8 (8.0 W/m·K) offers the highest conductivity in the soft pad range, making it suitable for rack-mount server processors where thermal budget is critical but the pad thickness must absorb lid warp variation across sockets.

Industrial Power Converter Cooling

TC-PEN3-10 and TC-PEN5-20 low-density pads reduce total system weight in weight-sensitive industrial inverters and drive modules, while still providing 3.2–5.2 W/m·K conductivity for effective heat dissipation to the chassis wall.

Datasheet

General Properties — TC-CA / TC-SP / TC-PEN / TC-UP8

Single-layer general-purpose, low-density and ultra-high conductivity grades (ISO 22007-2, JIS K 6249, ASTM D5470 50°C/40 psi)

Parameter	TC-SP-1.7	TC-CAS-10	TC-CAB-10	TC-CAD-10	TC-CAT-20	TC-CAF-40	TC-PEN3-10	TC-PEN5-20	TC-UP8
Color	Lt. blue/gray	Dark gray	Pale red-brn	Pale red-pur	Gray	Lt. purple	Lt. purple	Blue	Gray
Standard size (mm)	300×400 (all grades)
Thickness (mm)	0.5–10.0	0.5–5.0	0.5–5.0	0.5–5.0	0.5–5.0	0.5–5.0	0.5–5.0	0.5–5.0	0.5–2.0
Thermal conductivity, rubber (W/m·K)	1.5	1.8	2.3	3.2	4.5	5.2	3.2	5.2	8.0
Thermal resistance 50°C / 40 psi (cm²·K/W)	8.2	3.3	2.4	2.2	1.6	1.5	2.34	1.27	0.45
Density at 23°C (g/cm³)	2.3	1.9	2.2	3.0	3.2	3.3	2.6	2.9	3.2
Hardness, Asker C	2	10	10	10	20	40	10	20	15
Dielectric bkdn in oil (kV)	20	22	22	15	15	16	21	20	10
Dielectric strength in oil (kV) JIS C 2110	16	10	11	11	11	11	16	16	8
Flame retardance UL94	V-0 (UL file E48923)	V-0 equivalent
LMW siloxane ΣD₃–D₁₀ (ppm)	20	70	90	90	200	90	<10	<10	<10

Grade guide: TC-CAS/CAB/CAD/CAT/CAF are general-purpose grades of increasing conductivity. TC-PEN are low-density grades. TC-UP8 is the ultra-high conductivity grade. TC-SP-1.7 is the multi-layer EV battery type. Asker C measured by stacking two pads to 6 mm total.

Grade Selector

Which Silicone Thermal Pad India Grade to Specify

The TC-CA, TC-SP, TC-PEN and TC-UP8 soft pad series address different combinations of conductivity, gap size, hardness and assembly process. Use this guide to narrow your selection before requesting a sample from Pantronics India.

If your priority is…	Recommended Grade	Conductivity	Key Advantage
General-purpose gap filling, repositionable	TC-CA series	1.5–6.0 W/m·K	UL94 V-0, Asker C 2–30 range, standard format
EV battery pack, large-area stepped assembly	TC-SP-1.7	1.7 W/m·K	Non-stick glass-cloth face for repositioning + adhesive face for fixing
Lightweight / weight-critical designs	TC-PEN series	2.0–5.0 W/m·K	~15% lower density than conventional pads; <10 ppm LMW siloxane
Maximum conductivity soft pad	TC-UP8	8.0 W/m·K	Highest conductivity in the soft pad range; Asker C 40
Thick gap (3–10 mm) bridging	TC-CA-10 (10.0 mm)	1.5 W/m·K	Bridges largest mechanical tolerances across multi-height assemblies

EV battery cooling note: For module-to-cooling-plate applications in EV packs, the TC-SP-1.7 multi-layer format allows pads to be pre-positioned on cells before the cooling plate is pressed on — a significant assembly-process advantage over standard single-layer pads.

FAQ

Silicone Thermal Pad India — Common Engineer Questions

How is a silicone thermal pad India different from a thermal gap filler?

A silicone thermal soft pad (TC-CA, TC-UP8) is a pre-formed, handleable elastomer sheet supplied with protective films. It is placed manually or by pick-and-place between components and heatsink, then compressed to final BLT by assembly clamping. A gap filler (SDP or CLG series) is a liquid or gel dispensed in-situ and cures or sets in the gap. Pads suit high-mix, lower-volume assembly where rework access is important; gap fillers suit automated high-volume dispensing lines where in-situ cure is preferred.

What compression force is needed for TC-CA silicone thermal pads?

TC-CA grades with Asker C 2–10 require very low compression force — they deform under component weight alone in many assemblies. Higher-conductivity grades like TC-UP8 (Asker C 40) require moderate clamp pressure to achieve the rated BLT. Refer to the datasheet compression vs. thermal resistance curve for the specific grade; Pantronics India can provide this and recommend the minimum clamp load for your design.

Can the silicone thermal pad India be used without any adhesive or fixing?

Yes — standard TC-CA pads are non-adhesive and are held in place purely by compression between the component and heatsink. The TC-SP-1.7 multi-layer type adds an adhesive silicone face for bonding to the cooling plate, while the glass-cloth face remains non-stick for repositioning. For permanent adhesive bonding without screws, consider the TC-SAS double-sided thermal tape series instead.

What is the temperature operating range for Shin-Etsu silicone soft pads?

Shin-Etsu TC-CA and TC-UP8 series silicone soft pads maintain stable properties from –40°C to +180°C (continuous service). The silicone elastomer base resists thermal cycling fatigue, UV and ozone degradation — essential for EV battery packs and industrial power electronics that may see thousands of thermal cycles across a 10–15 year service life.