Do all CPU pastes stick?

[SnoopSanders]

All I want to know was if all CPU pastes or greases stick the processor to the heatsink. Because I was trying to look for a paste or something to put on the heatsink for the processor, that can be easily removed later and paste that wouldn't make such a hassel to remove the processor from the heatsink.

 

[PC eye]

There are three main types of thermal layers found between the cpu and heat sink. The stock setup will see a thermal pad with a preapplied adhesive and the worst heat transfer. The older type of pastes or grease with a ceramic element need to set and over a period of time due beoome harder and need to scaped off in some cases.

A thermal paste like Artic Silver stays pliable and can be removed with denatured or rubbing alcohol after a lenthy period of time. AS5 and others don't set but simply settle over some amount of time while remaining a grease.

 

[The_Other_One]

There's thermal paste then a thermal epoxy. This is not to say basic thermal paste won't become sticky overtime. I tried to remove the heatsync on my new 1.4GHz P4, and I'm pretty sure the CPU would come out with it if I were to pull much harder...

 

[PC eye]

It will bind somewhat. But you won't see AS5 or another good paste get hard and brittle like the while ceramic based compounds. The one thing a thermal paste does is fill in the mibute gaps or pores in the cpu and sink materials with a paper layer of the compound there. You use something like a coffee filter or other non linting cloth or material when going to clean off the old grease for a new application.

Something like rubbing alcohol would be used to help break that up since it disappears once it evaporates. Other cleaning solutions would leave traces behind. That's one thing there you want to avoid since it would contaminate any fresh application. I'm just wondering how long a grease will stay good after having used only one application last spring. The tube has been sealed ever since but will it be good whenever going to use it again? That would be in years not months there.

 

[PohTayToez]

It will bind somewhat. But you won't see AS5 or another good paste get hard and brittle like the while ceramic based compounds. The one thing a thermal paste does is fill in the mibute gaps or pores in the cpu and sink materials with a paper layer of the compound there. You use something like a coffee filter or other non linting cloth or material when going to clean off the old grease for a new application.

Something like rubbing alcohol would be used to help break that up since it disappears once it evaporates. Other cleaning solutions would leave traces behind. That's one thing there you want to avoid since it would contaminate any fresh application. I'm just wondering how long a grease will stay good after having used only one application last spring. The tube has been sealed ever since but will it be good whenever going to use it again? That would be in years not months there.

Like T_O_O said, there is thermal epoxy... which will break the CPU before you get the heatsink off.

 

[PC eye]

Like T_O_O said, there is thermal epoxy... which will break the CPU before you get the heatsink off.

That's not AS5 then. Artic Silver also has other types of compounds like their own thermal epoxies seen at http://www.articsilver.com/products.htm#epoxy

Any type of epoxy will hardened when it bonds. The choice of using an epoxy or thermal grease depends on application.

 

[PohTayToez]

That's not AS5 then. Artic Silver also has other types of compounds like their own thermal epoxies seen at http://www.articsilver.com/products.htm#epoxy

Any type of epoxy will hardened when it bonds. The choice of using an epoxy or thermal grease depends on application.

I never implied that it was. The original question was about how different thermal compounds react over time to become stuck.

You said, 'it will bind somewhat' without any reference to any particular compound, with no implication that you were referring to AS5, which brings up the reasonable assumption that you are talking about thermal compounds in general, so I pointed out that some thermal compounds do bond to the point of being irremovable. I do not see any problem with that.

 

[SnoopSanders]

Ok, so then should I get the Artic Silver 5 stuff?

 

[ETSA]

Yes, it is also easy to remove, some rubbing alcohol on a q-tip, it is very easy to remove. It also works very well.

 

[SnoopSanders]

Ok, thanks!

 

[PC eye]

I would go with the AS5 while having pondered on Liquid Pro. But there have some complaints heard on that one. At least AS5 being a thermal grease with an epoxy base it will be easy for you. The easy cleanup if needed has made it the most popular too.