Nowadays, the heat of CUP is getting bigger and bigger, so people often match it with a good radiator, but they ignore the role of thermal paste. Many people forget to apply thermal grease or improperly apply when installing the heat sink. As a result, the system is unstable and even burns the processor. Therefore, it is necessary to use the thermal paste.
Preparation of thermal paste before use
Care must be taken to clean the surface before using the thermal paste. The surface of the boxed processor is relatively clean, and the surface of the bulk processor may have a lot of dust and dirt. We should use a clean cotton cloth or a cotton wool ball to carefully wipe the surface of the processor. If there is more dirt, you can use some volatile and non-residual solvents such as alcohol. Do not use too much. Feel that the cotton cloth is damp. When you encounter thick dirt, avoid using excessively hard materials to scratch, so as not to affect the smoothness of the surface. After wiping clean, dry the processor thoroughly to ensure that the surface is dry.
The bottom surface of the heat sink is made of copper and aluminum, so they will also rust. The rusted bottom surface is covered with a layer of gray metal oxide layer, which loses its luster and deteriorates thermal conductivity, which affects the performance of the heat sink. Therefore, the radiator manufacturer will apply a layer of grease on the bottom surface or cover a layer of transparent film to prevent oxidation. Before using the heat sink, the grease remaining on these greases and transparencies should be carefully removed and household detergents can be used. Also, after the cleaning is finished, ensure that the bottom surface of the radiator is sufficiently dry to prevent the hard object from scratching the bottom surface.
Since the cleaned metal surface will soon be oxidized, it is recommended that you apply the thermal paste and install it immediately after cleaning the processor and heat sink. Do not leave it for too long.
Some radiators have been oxidized to a certain extent due to long-term storage or multiple installations. At this time, you can use a fine abrasive cloth and gently polish it in one direction until the bottom surface is exposed to metallic luster. After cleaning, the cleaning work mentioned above is still required.
Correct application of thermal paste
The main function of the thermal paste is to fill the gap between the processor and the heat sink, so the thinner the better. Many friends deliberately applied a thick layer on the processor. In fact, the thicker the thermal conductivity, the worse the performance of bubbles. The best application tools are hard polyester plastic sheets, such as transparent packaging for products, or transparent sheets for slide projectors. Scissors cut a strip that is slightly wider than the processor.
We first apply a little thermal paste on the edge of the processor, and then apply it evenly in one direction with the transparent sheet, as long as the surface of the processor is covered by the thermal paste. If it is a white thermal paste, you can see that the processor is thinly covered with a translucent film, and the thickness is just right.
There is also a sheet of phase change material thermal paste on the market, which can be placed directly in the center of the processor to install the heat sink. As for the near-liquid thermal paste, you need to put a latex fingertip on your finger, then take a little thermal paste and apply it evenly on the surface of the processor.
Regardless of the thermal paste, after removing the heat sink, it is necessary to reprocess each surface and apply a new thermal paste before installing.