Two-component moisture curable thermal interface material for thermal management systems

A method of manufacturing a two-component moisture-curable thermal interface material, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first silane-terminated polyurethane polymer having reactive terminal silane groups;
• mixing said first silane-terminated polyurethane polymer with a tin-based catalyst under inert atmosphere to form a first component;
• separately providing a second silane-terminated polyurethane polymer having reactive terminal silane groups;
• mixing said second silane-terminated polyurethane polymer with a moisture scavenger to form a second component;
• adding thermally conductive fillers to at least one of said first component and said second component;
• and
• packaging said first component and said second component as separate parts that cure upon combining in presence of moisture.

A method of forming a thermally conductive interface between heat-generating and heat-dissipating components in an electronic assembly, comprising the steps of:

• dispensing a first part containing a first silane-terminated polymer and a metal catalyst for catalyzing moisture cure reaction;
• dispensing a second part containing a second silane-terminated polymer and a moisture scavenger;
• mixing said first part and said second part at a volume ratio of approximately 1:1;
• applying the mixed composition between a heat-generating electronic component and a heat-dissipating component within a gel time window;
• and
• compressing said mixed composition to achieve a bondline thickness while allowing moisture cure to proceed.

A two-part curable composition which cures to form a thermally conductive interface material, comprising:

• a first part comprising a first silane-terminated polymer, a catalyst selected from tin-based catalysts, and thermally conductive fillers distributed throughout said first part;
• and
• a second part comprising a second silane-terminated polymer and thermally conductive fillers distributed throughout said second part;
• wherein said first silane-terminated polymer and said second silane-terminated polymer each comprise polyurethane backbone with terminal silane groups capable of moisture-activated crosslinking;
• and
• wherein upon mixing said first part and said second part, the composition cures in presence of moisture to form a thermally conductive elastomeric material having a thermal conductivity of at least 1.5 W/m·K.