Heat sinks play a very important role in almost all types of electric devices. With an efficient heat sink, you can have good processing and efficiency of your CPU as well as other devices. Heat sinks vary from each other in different ways. There are heat sinks that are made from different materials.
If you are selecting a heat sink for your device then you must know the best heat sink material so you will have satisfactory results in the end. For your help, we have described the common heat sink materials and their features so you can decide what is best according to your situation and needs.
Why Is It Important To Select The Best Material For A Heat Sink?
There are different types of heat sinks present in the market. Whenever you need to select a heat sink you should keep in mind some factors like the heat dissipation way, the presence of fins or pins, the type of material from which it is made, etc.
The material type has a great impact on the working and efficiency of the heat sink. Metal selection is different based on cost, thermal conductivity, thermal resistance, and weight. You should choose what comes with the best possible combination of all these properties.
Different Heat Sink Materials
The material by which the heat sink is made is very crucial for the radiator. There are different heat-dissipation materials that are used for the manufacturing of heat sinks; every material has its own advantages and disadvantages. By knowing about the materials you can get a custom heat sink according to your requirements. The common heat sink materials are:
Steel
The steel heat sinks are beautifully shaped. If we compare the thickness of a steel heat sink with others it is comparatively light and thin so overall the weight is less. In the case of a customized steel heat sink the appearance including the shape and color of the heat sink can be customized.
The negative point about steel heat sinks is that they can be eroded by water easily so it is mandatory to install anti-corrosion technology in them.
Aluminum
Aluminum is considered one of the common heat sink materials that made the heat sink high-cost performance. The heat sink created by aluminum has good heat conduction and is also light in weight. In the manufacturing of aluminum heat sinks the aluminum fins are extruded and then they are welded to assemble.
One of the most important things to keep in mind about aluminum heat sinks is that aluminum alloy can be eroded by contact with alkaline substances so overall the radiator can damage. While selecting an aluminum heat sink, be careful about the alkaline environment and choose a high-quality product.
Copper
Copper is the advanced choice that you can choose for the heat sink. There are other metals that have a good chemical ranking but copper is the best affordable choice for heat sinks. It comes with moderate corrosion resistance, and strength and does not react with water.
Copper is widely used in different electronic devices like air conditioners, refrigerators, and electric heaters. It has a good ability to maintain the normal working of devices in polluted environments and high temperatures without aging and deforming. The only disadvantage can be its high cost as compared to aluminum.
Diamond
Diamond is another option because of its high thermal conductivity which makes it one of the best choices for thermal applications. Generally, In the case of thermal application, the composite materials like Dismally, ALSiC, and copper tungsten pseudo alloy are used.
Conclusion
Now every possible metal that can be used for heat sink manufacturing is described along with their pros and cons. It can be concluded that copper can be the best material for manufacturing heat sinks especially for custom heat sinks. It has better thermal conductivity than Aluminum. It is good to invest in copper and get beneficial results instead of saving some money in the present but risking the future cost.
