Silicon rubber filled with high percentage of silver-plated copper microspheres provides soft, thermally conductive seat for thermal switch. Material also could be used in thin sheet form to prevent corrosion between dissimilar metals while maintaining good thermal communication. It could be used as thermal gasketing

Anderson, A. J.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

September 1974
	 B74-10132 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
Langley Research Center
	 4 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Soft, Thermally Conductive Material 
.
A material which consists of silicon rubber filled 
with a high percentage of silver-plated copper micro-
spheres has been used to provide a soft, thermally 
conductive seat for a thermal switch. The thermal 
switch was to be used on a Mars lander vehicle, and it 
was necessary that the contacts of this switch be 
highly conductive thermally while also being soft enough 
to absorb chips or dust particles without a reduction in 
thermal conduction. The material, CHO-SEAL-1224, 
was found to satisfy both the softness and conductive 
requirements. It is normally used in electronic appli-
cations such as microwave gaskets. Testing revealed 
that the thermal conductance of this material was 
significantly improved by molding and curing it directly 
onto an aluminum plate. CHO-SEAL-1224 is normally 
produced in sheet form because of its intended use as 
gaskets. 
In addition to the new use for this material as a 
thermal switch contact seat, it could be used in thin 
sheet form to prevent corrosion between dissimilar 
metals while maintaining good thermal communication. 
It could be used as thermal gasketing, which would be 
particularly suitable if sandwiched between layers of 
aluminum foil to minimize interface contact resistance.
The aluminum foil or other soft material could be 
molded with the rubber to form an Integral composite. 
Another possible application could be heater blankets 
molded from the conducting rubber with embedded 
heater wires. The result would be more uniform heated 
surfaces due to the high lateral conduction of the 
rubber. 
Note: 
No further documentation Is available. Specific ques-
tions, however, may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Langley Research Center 
Mail Stop 139-A 
Hampton, Virginia 23665 
Reference: B74-10132 
Patent status: 
NASA has decided not to apply for a patent. 
Source: A. J. Anderson of
Martin Marietta Corp.
under contract to

Langley Research Center

(LAR- 10850) 
Category 04,03 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National
	
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States
	
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
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Soft, thermally conductive material

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