The miniaturization of electronics has opened up a new market for lightweight corrosion resistant plastic products. Miniaturization leads to excessive heat build up in the product, which in turn reduces the product service life severely. Metal parts are heavier as well as prone to corrosion. Plastics products having relatively good thermal conductivity can fulfill the requirement for this new class of products. These thermally conductive polymer products are made from the blend of metallic fillers along with the base polymers. Two major types of metallic fillers have so far succeeded in the development of thermally conductive polymers. Graphite fibers and ceramic fillers like Boron Nitride or Aluminum Nitride are more commonly used. While fibers provide different conductivity in the matrix (more in the fiber direction) the ceramic fillers provide more uniform thermal conductivity across the matrix of the components. These fillers inherently have excellent thermal conductivity and therefore can impart some thermal conductivity to the plastics compound in which they are blended. However, both of them can impair the mechanical properties when incorporated at a higher level. A compromise between mechanical properties and thermal conductivity has to be attained.

Several internationally reputed compounders like Cool Polymers, LNP, RTP, Polyone etc are developing engineering plastic as well as PP, ABS conductive compounds. Thermally conductive compounds containing metal fillers exercise more stress on processing equipment. All these equipment parts are required to be more rugged compared to the normal machinery. All the suppliers of thermally conductive compounds can guide the prospective moulders on the equipment to be used for processing of thermally conductive polymer compounds.