Heat Sinks, Still the Most Reliable Passive Cooling Solution

Heat sinks remain the fundamental and most reliable passive cooling solution in the electronics and automotive industries, with computers, consumer electronics and electric vehicles the key market growth drivers.

Computer-use heat sinks reached $1.438 billion in 2024 and are projected to go up to $1.839 billion by 2031 at a CAGR of 3.81 percent during the period, according to QY Research.

In China, manufacturers offer heat sinks made of copper, aluminum and stainless steel to meet various requirements for thermal conductivity.

For applications generating massive amounts of concentrated heat such as EVs, 5G base stations and high-power LED lighting, high-purity copper is considered the ideal material. Its thermal conductivity reaches 401W/(m•K), far exceeding that of aluminum alloy with 237W/(m•K) and stainless steel with 15W/(m•K).

In terms of surface treatment, choices include anodizing, plating, powder-coating, etching, polishing and sandblasting. Widely available heat sinks have tolerances ranging from ±0.01 to ±0.05mm. They comply with UL, CE and RoHS standards.

Chinese companies can meet most customization requirements. They source materials, including brass used in supporting structures and mounting components, from domestic providers. Copper costs have risen in the past 12 months and are still volatile, but those of other metals remain stable, ensuring no major price adjustments from most suppliers.