Gettin greasy ...

[Konrad]

Ah, an aqueous soldering approach. It's just an application of "electroplating" - remember that electricity isn't strictly required to make the reaction work, it just shifts the equilibrium point and makes it much faster.

It's a good idea. The obvious downside is you'd have a hell of a time ensuring even evaporation. Any trapped pockets of water will drastically reduce efficiency of the cooling interface, along with other problems. You'd also have to constantly add more (aqueous dissolved) copper into the solution at a controlled rate, as the molar concentration will keep on diminishing while it deposits. Any impurities in the water would likely turn into Slightly Bad Things. I imagine you'd want to apply heat (perhaps 100C water boiling heat) to finish the join before x-mas.

I think it's possible. It might be easier (more economical) to simply copper braze the two parts together, or machine them from a single block in the first place, then attach to processor afterwards. Probably won't get as good as just tossing the IHS out the window.

[Kayin]

all right, wow!

I've gotten all messages sent to me, I'm currently fighting a literally life-threatening infection but I've read, studied, looked some more and gone back and done more work.

Konrad's got it with pyrolytic graphite, if I read that PM correctly. Let me map out some stuff on paper, and then I'll propose an experiment. I want to make sure we get this to work right.

Guys, we're on the cusp of something here. Konrad and I have got some stuff going, and I wanna see what CJ has come up with on the diamond paste front-I think we could set some records.

But first, more pills. All messages should be sorted and replied to tomorrow. All I have to do is work on this.

[Trace]

Keep me posted too Kayin!

[Konrad]

As amazing as highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) might be serving as a TIM, I expect it might be a slight evolutionary refinement instead of a completely revolutionary one. Knock temps down by a handful of C's at best, maybe not even that much since Arctic 5 is already pretty kickass stuff. As I've explained to Kayin, application is a bit more involved than with a "normal" TIM but still well within the abilities of serious modders and OCers. And it doesn't require any blowtorching, even though I'm sure somebody crazy will figure out a way to do it.

@ Kayin

Don't kill yourself, man - good luck and best health. K&K cooling can wait.

My PMs only discussed my findings on (HOPG) TIM. Never got around to addressing the HS.

To be honest, there's really not anything I can do to improve on decades of HS engineering. What I can do is fab parts that use only best materials, intelligent design, and finest precision. Any basic HS improvements you see will only be the result of not cutting corners.

I assume you'd want solid copper throughout, of course. Silver would serve better but is a wee bit too expensive for this project, solid carbon forms (diamond, graphite, fiber, nanostuff, etc) would be far more expensive and probably impossible for me to obtain or machine in any event.

I'd like to know if you're looking at a HS/fan block or a waterblock. Either way, I need accurate dimensional data. In the latter case, I'd need to know all about your fittings and such, plus what sorts of liquid coolants you circulate if they have corrosive properties - I might be able to select alloys, plating, or finishes which resist chemical attack without much reduction in thermal efficiency. I've never actually watercooled a PC myself, but I think I'm well-versed in the basics. Any wisdom you'd care to offer (beyond the linky already given) couldn't hurt.

[Edit]

Does anyone have any real DATA on this indigo extreme stuff? All I can find is marketing blurbs and amateur reviews, but I am intrigued. I am of course already very familiar with Arctic 5 and similar products, so anything less doesn't interest me.

[Kayin]

Konrad, I'm working on a PM as a feasibility study on some things, and I'll sort materials there. I've some ideas kicking around in my head...

http://skinneelabs.com/tim2010part1.html

There's an actual review lab's take on the deal, with proper repeatable results.

And folks, if you give me 10 bucks an application, I can make it for you too! It's low-melt silver/indium/bismuth alloy. No gallium, which I'd expect to see, but without an MSDS, I can't tell you much more. I'm still hunting one.

I'm betting that we could do the same with solder, if we wanted to risk some boards. Who's with me?

[Konrad]

I thought the solder paste idea was already sort of ruled out?

[Edit]

The Indigo Xtreme MSDS isn't published ("As Indigo Xtreme is considered a manufactured item and does not release any hazardous chemicals, it is exempt from requiring a MSDS.")

The Enerdyne Solutions site here has the Indigo2 datasheet and a variety of technical papers, application notes, etc. None of them specifically state Indigo's proprietary formula or constituents.

Indigo complies with RoHS; it therefore contains no lead, cadmium, or mercury (outside of trace impurities). The advertisments state absolutely no lead and state no gallium.

Indigo is "patent pending" the old trick that let's a company secure their patent claim while delaying submission of an official patent application (disclosing all the proprietary details) into public domain. ("patent pending" might also mean it's something worthless that needs a bit of "official" credence, you haven't yet prepared a proper patent application, you can't afford to, or you may withdraw or change the product ... I personally doubt that's often the case with big companies like Enerdyne.)
Nonetheless, I searched through all the online patents involving Enerdyne, PCMA, and TI anyhow with no luck.

Enerdyne seems to hold a monopoly on this product; Indigo is not rebranded and sold by any other Semi-Therm registered manufacturer/vendor (listed here, overviewed here.)

Indium-containing alloys have intermetallic problems with copper. These problems might be addressable with the addition of other metallic components, or they might not.

I've just ordered the $22 Indigo Xtreme LGA1366/i7 kit from DazMode (the only vendor of this product in Canada); I will sacrifice it to the metallurgical boys and their spectrum analysis to determine exactly what the precise constituents of this alloy are (ideally so I can have cheap batches made in-shop for personal use).

I'm a little unclear if Indigo Xtreme and Indigo2 are the same product.

[Kayin]

I've got an idea that I picked up from my silver nanofluid that I'm wondering about for everyman's diamond paste.

I'm thinking about acquiring a sample of polydimethylsiloxane and suspending diamond powder in it. That stuff resists pumping more than just about anything short of a brick, and if I load it enough, I get a bouncy, high-yield TIM that ca be used as a rubber ball if I'm bored.

I think CJ's vacuum chamber experiment may have been misplaced.

Alternately, I've got the means to whip up a few things of my own. I think I have a real idea going here. The question is do I have access to what I need to make it work. More in ten.

Bugger. PDMS is a GREAT insulator-like heat-resistant reentry tile great. More searching.

[Trace]

Literally 10? I'm waiting!

[mDust]

Literally 10? I'm waiting!

We all are waiting! I logged back on just to see this...

[Kayin]

Graphite. As in dry graphite for film lubrication. It's almost as good as diamond, and available in GREAT quantity for dirt cheap. I'll make my own paste up this week.