A new era (e.g. formula) in TIM's.

[Liquid3D]

Just as processor scaling has resulted in new technologies to prevent static current leakage into surrounding semi-conductive silicon (SOI). So the Thermal Management industry has had to evolve in it's TIM formulae. Nanotherm has been around a few years and has released some excellent products, their Silver XTC being as effective as AS3 (in my opinion).

Since lapping my P4's, and testing Thermalright heatsinks, I wanted to find the best thermal transfer material, for these newly prepared (lapped) surfaces. As you can see Nanotherms newer product which comes in a "dopper" bottle due to it's liquidity. PCM+ is described as phase change material, and that is exactly what it seems to do. In the pohoto's below you'll notice the substnace is a combination of two elements. The blue paraffin material I believe acts as an "encpsulate," and a thinner oil-like, substance (refecting white in pics) which I believe undergoes the phase change. It's difficult to discriminate in these photo's, but theres a clear difference when applying the substance. It took me nearly five different applications, because i kept overcompensating, applying much mor then needed. One need only "moisten the surface with PCN+, not ensure it's all covered in thicker blue. For it's the oily substance which most likely "boils" absorbing the energy (heat) from the IHS or processor surface, and transferring this energy to the heat-sink plate. I believe this formula (if not patented) will be te next phase (pun intended) in TIMs. My temps dropped from 38C/42C to 31C/33C. I consider that revolutionary! Initially I failed to follow Nanotherm's intsuctions, which specifies one must apply a thin (very thin only three drops max for P4 IHS one for AMD) coating to BOTH mating surfaces. The core, and the heatsinks plate should be rubbed with PCM+ (using plastic wrap over your finger).

[RussianMissile1]

can you please provide a link to a place where this can be purchased?

[Áedán]

That would suggest, assuming that the CPU is under load (assuming 70W), that PCM+ is 0.1C/W more effective, which is actually a huge jump.

I presume you tested like for like, IE only changed the thermal interface. If you altered other things, like lapping the surfaces, then that would well explain the difference!

[cloasters]

Originally Posted by RussianMissile1

can you please provide a link to a place where this can be purchased?

www.xoxide.com offers it. I don't know if they are a good, bad or indifferent etailer. Look before you leap at www.resellerratings.com !

[cloasters]

I think that Surlyjoe's WEB NEWS! mentioned that this thermal compound was etching the tops of AMD slugs fairly recently. It's a shame if it doesn't work as well as the buzz has it.

[Daniel ~]

Liquid3D, You just made front page!

*NOTE*
This is NOT a product endorsement on my part, but an endorsement of a members post. ":O}
http://www.aoaforums.com/

[Liquid3D]

Unfortunately I have some good news and some very-bad news. The good news I've been trying out a "new" formula from Arctic Silver. I don't want to say AS4, because I think you'll find it may even surpass that label. As you'll see in the months ahead. And the new AS formula, has the PCM+ beat, by approxinmately -2C to -6C in temp drop.

Now for the bad news. These photo's show the results of the extent at which Nanotherm's PCM+ seems to loose it's innate "moisture." Since this product is based and sold on it's "phase-change" capabilities, then one would surmize, it must retain said moisture. Because phase-change in this circumstance pertains to the TIM rapidly chaning from liquid to gas, and back, absorbing, transferring, and releasing the kinetic energy from the processor into the heat sink. Therefore it's critical the parrafin component does not break down, under the repeated phase-change. What began to place doubt in my mind was an article posted at Modsynergy, and then (I'm very sad to say) my personal dealings with the owner, and a representitive of ESG Associates, or Nanotherm. It's my opinion, the person behind this company has a somewhat limited knowledge of thermal dynamics, and based upon hi character, I beleive the propensity, for damaging processors (if it does in fact exist. poeple are working on this) may be known by him, and ommitted to unsupecting clients. First look at the photo's below after I kept the product on for several weeks, the longest yet (and under overclocking conditions). Here's the link to the edited original article I wrote had Nanotherm contact me at my home; http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4y8k9/reviews/id14.html
And these photo's while not conclusive, do exemplify the seperation of compounds (after ony several weeks), specifically where the core is located under the P4 IHS. The forumula is almost completely absent, in that area, almost leaving bare metal. This would account for the marks on the heatsinks in the Modsynergy article; http://www.modsynergy.com/Nanothermtemp.htm This will make much more sense when you see the pictures in my article borrowed from the Modsynergy piece;