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52 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2020 In my previous columns, I have looked at many different aspects of resin systems by going right back to basics, questioning the key reasons for potting and encapsulation, examin- ing how different resins systems vary from one another, and exploring how their individual properties can be exploited to maximise per- formance under a wide range of environmen- tal conditions. I hope this has proven useful. When it comes to resin selection and appli- cation, there are a plethora of factors to con- sider. Resins come in many forms and have lists of properties that would challenge even a graduate chemist. For this month's column, I'm going to take a closer look at thermally conductive resins, flexible resins, elevated cure temperatures, resin types for different appli- cations, and resin systems that enable wider operating temperatures. Without further ado, let's look at these topics in our signature five- point format. 1. What are the benefits of a thermally conductive encapsulation resin? As electronics have become smaller and more powerful over the years, the amount of heat generated per unit area on a PCB has increased as well; however, it is well known that electronics will perform much better at low temperatures. Thermally conductive res- ins are designed to allow heat to be dissipated away from sensitive components. The typi- cal thermal conductivity of an unfilled resin is 0.20-0.35 W/m.K. For a resin to be classi- fied as being thermally conductive, it must have a thermal conductivity of >0.8 W/m.K. Resins: Are They All About Chemistry? Sensible Design by Alistair Little, ELECTROLUBE