Hexagonal boron nitride combines superior electrical insulation with excellent thermal conductivity
Challenge
Rising power densities, increasingly compact designs, and higher process temperatures are significantly raising the bar for efficient thermal management across virtually all industrial sectors. Whether it’s thermal management in electric mobility, thermally conductive insulation systems in power electronics, or targeted heat dissipation in high-temperature processes, a material’s thermal conductivity is increasingly becoming a key economic factor in decision-making.
Consequence
High-power components are prone to heat buildup, which significantly reduces system efficiency and limits the maximum achievable power density. The resulting thermal stress leads to premature aging of the components and necessitates increased cooling requirements. To ensure operational reliability, systems often have to be oversized. This significantly increases total cost of ownership.
THE HENZE SOLUTION
Boron nitride is used in numerous applications—both as a component and as a functional filler. As a component, it serves, among other things, as an electrical insulating material in high-temperature furnaces, for example in heater supports or insulating sleeves, as well as a substrate for printed circuit boards. As a filler, boron nitride increases the thermal conductivity of plastics without compromising their electrical insulation. Furthermore, it is used in a wide variety of matrix systems such as thermal interface compounds, potting compounds, adhesives, adhesive tapes, thermal interface materials (TIM), and other filled formulations. The use of boron nitride as a sintering aid in sintering processes illustrates the versatility of its applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is boron nitride?
Boron nitride is a high-temperature-resistant industrial ceramic. It is a true all-rounder and is characterized by a unique combination of properties: It offers good anti-seizing and lubricating properties, excellent thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion, and outstanding electrical insulation properties. In addition, the material is highly resistant to thermal shock.
What is boron nitride used for?
Due to its versatile properties, boron nitride is used in numerous high-temperature applications and a wide variety of industries. Typical applications include sintering, powder metallurgy, and metal casting, where it serves as a release agent and protects against carburization. It is used in high-temperature furnace construction, aluminum extrusion, welding and laser processing, as well as in the production of thermally conductive plastics. Boron nitride has even proven itself under the extreme conditions of space, for example for electrical insulation in plasma thrusters for satellites.
In what forms does boron nitride come?
- HeBoSint® (components): Sintered precision components that are easy to machine, capable of withstanding extremely high thermal loads, and electrically insulating.
- HeBoCoat® (Coatings): Liquid coatings (water- or solvent-based) that ensure optimal release and lubrication properties on surfaces.
- HeBoFill® (powder): Versatile powders that, among other things, improve the thermal conductivity of plastics when used as fillers.
- HeBoLub® (lubricant additive): A dispersion of highly concentrated, fine boron nitride particles in oil that effectively minimizes friction and wear.
Is boron nitride an alternative to PTFE or PFAS?
Yes, absolutely. If you want to prepare early for a potential PFAS ban and are looking for a PTFE alternative, boron nitride is the ideal solution. It is physiologically safe, highly compatible with plastics and seals, and retains its lubricating properties even under the most extreme conditions.
Can boron nitride be used in the food industry?
Yes, we offer specialized products for sensitive applications. Our HeBoFill® LL-SP 010 and HeBoFill® LL-SP 050 powders are NSF-certified (Category HX-1). They are approved for use in lubricants where incidental food contact may occur, making their use in and around food processing facilities both safe and feasible.
Where are the boron nitride products manufactured?
We manufacture our boron nitride products directly at our facility in Lauben in the Allgäu region (southern Bavaria)—genuine “Made in Germany.” We place great emphasis on sustainability: for example, thanks to a sophisticated energy recovery system, we are able to produce boron nitride sintered bodies using renewable energy.
Why are industrial requirements for thermal conductivity constantly increasing?
Increasing power densities, increasingly compact designs, and higher process temperatures place enormous demands on thermal management in virtually all industrial sectors. In high-temperature and energy applications, there is often the seemingly contradictory challenge that components must dissipate heat highly efficiently while simultaneously providing essential electrical insulation. Conventional materials reach their limits here, whereas boron nitride combines precisely these versatile properties.
Effectively dissipate heat while ensuring electrical insulation.
By nature, plastics have negligible thermal conductivity, even though their use is growing rapidly, particularly in the electronics sector. To address this issue, we offer our HeBoFill® boron nitride powders. They are ideal as fillers for significantly increasing the thermal conductivity of plastics while fully preserving their excellent electrical insulation properties. A major advantage for production: Due to the low hardness of boron nitride, there is no tool wear during incorporation into the plastic and thus no disruptive metal abrasion.
Welche speziellen Bornitrid-Werkstoffe bieten eine maximale Wärmeleitfähigkeit für Hightech-Anwendungen?
For components with extreme heat dissipation requirements, we have developed special high-performance composite ceramics such as HeBoSint® SL-A 800. This material, based on aluminum nitride and boron nitride, offers outstanding thermal conductivity of 115 W/mK combined with excellent electrical insulation. It serves as an ideal and cost-effective solution for state-of-the-art applications in semiconductor technology, power electronics, X-ray technology, and aerospace.
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