Custom Formulation for Electronic and Thermal Materials
Haktak develops custom material formulations for electronics manufacturers that cannot solve an application with an off-the-shelf product. We align chemistry, rheology, cure, thermal performance, electrical properties and reliability with the real assembly process.
What Is Custom Material Formulation?
Custom material formulation is the controlled development or modification of a polymer-based material to meet a specific application. Instead of choosing only from a fixed catalog, engineers can adjust chemistry, filler package, viscosity, cure behavior, hardness, adhesion, thermal conductivity, dielectric properties and other variables around the final part and manufacturing process.
For electronic assemblies, formulation is rarely about maximizing one number. A material must work as a system: it has to dispense or place correctly, contact the intended surfaces, cure within the available process window and remain stable through the product's service life.
When Does an Electronics Project Need a Custom Formulation?
A custom formulation makes sense when a standard material creates a repeated technical or production compromise. The trigger may be thermal performance, bonding reliability, contamination control, dispensing stability, cure time, component stress or a combination that cannot be solved by changing only the assembly.
The process window is too narrow
A material may meet final properties but still string, slump, trap air, cure too slowly or require equipment the line cannot support. Custom rheology and cure behavior can improve repeatability.
Thermal and mechanical targets conflict
More conductive filler can raise viscosity or modulus. The formulation must balance heat transfer with wetting, compression, stress and the final bond-line thickness.
Substrate adhesion is inconsistent
Plastics, coated metals, ceramics, glass and PCB surfaces behave differently. Surface energy, contamination, primer use and cure conditions can change the bond result.
The assembly is chemically sensitive
Optical modules, sensors, contacts and coating operations may need low-outgassing, silicone-free, low-ionic or controlled-residue materials.
Reliability testing exposes failure
Cracking, delamination, pump-out, oil bleed, corrosion, hardening or dielectric loss after aging can indicate that the formulation and the real service environment are mismatched.
Supply format creates waste
Even a good material can be expensive to use if package size, mix ratio, shelf life, working life or dispensing format does not fit the production volume.
Custom Formulation Capabilities for Electronics Manufacturing
Haktak can develop or modify materials around three connected layers: the base chemistry, the functional performance and the manufacturing process. Every requested change is reviewed for tradeoffs. A lower viscosity may affect filler suspension; faster cure may reduce working time; softer modulus may change strength or dimensional stability.
Chemistry and cure
Select the polymer platform and reaction path that fit the substrates, temperature limits, production equipment and service environment.
- Silicone, epoxy, acrylate and polyurethane systems
- One-component and two-component formats
- Heat, UV, moisture or room-temperature cure paths
- Silicone-free and low-outgassing directions
- Pot life, open time, fixture time and full cure
Functional performance
Build the property balance around what the device must do, rather than optimizing an isolated laboratory value.
- Thermal conductivity and interface behavior
- Adhesion, cohesion, flexibility and modulus
- Dielectric strength and volume resistivity
- Flame, humidity and chemical resistance targets
- Color, opacity, optical or surface requirements
Process and supply
Make the material practical for the intended line, operator, equipment, takt time and quality-control method.
- Flow, thixotropy, slump and self-leveling
- Manual, pneumatic, jet or automated dispensing
- Mix ratio, deaeration and filler settling control
- Syringe, cartridge, pail or custom package format
- Storage, shipping and handling conditions
How We Choose a Chemistry for Custom Electronic Materials
The chemistry is chosen after the application requirements are mapped. Silicone, epoxy, acrylate, polyurethane and hybrid systems each bring a different balance of flexibility, adhesion, cure, temperature capability and process behavior. The comparison below is a starting point, not a final specification.
| Chemistry family | Typical strengths | Points to control | Common electronics uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicone | Flexibility, thermal cycling tolerance, temperature stability and low-stress protection | Surface adhesion, potential siloxane sensitivity, tear or cohesive strength and cure inhibition | Thermal gels, gap fillers, sealants, coatings, flexible bonding and encapsulation |
| Epoxy | High adhesion, structural strength, electrical insulation and chemical resistance | Rigidity, exotherm, shrinkage, mix quality, cure temperature and CTE mismatch | Potting, underfill, structural bonding, thermal adhesive and component reinforcement |
| Acrylate | Fast cure, precision processing and adhesion to selected plastics, glass and metals | Light access for UV systems, shadow areas, oxygen inhibition and substrate stress | Display, camera, sensor, lens, PCB and fast assembly applications |
| Polyurethane | Flexible bonding, impact resistance and lower-stress potting or protection | Moisture sensitivity during processing, hydrolysis resistance, cure control and storage | Battery, automotive, industrial and vibration-sensitive assemblies |
| Hybrid or modified system | Property balance tailored around a difficult combination of adhesion, flexibility, cure and environment | Qualification scope, raw-material control and long-term stability of the complete system | Application-specific sealing, bonding, coating and protection |
Custom Thermal Interface and Heat-Transfer Formulations
A custom thermal material should reduce real interface temperature while fitting the mechanical and production limits of the assembly. Catalog conductivity is only one input. Final performance also depends on contact, wetting, gap, bond-line thickness, pressure, filler distribution, voids and aging.
Haktak can support formulation work across thermal interface materials, liquid gap fillers, thermally conductive adhesives, thermal grease, gels, putties and related systems. Development targets may include conductivity, softness, dielectric behavior, oil bleed control, low outgassing, dispense stability and reworkability.
- Thermal path: heat source, cooling surface, interface area and acceptable operating temperature.
- Mechanical fit: minimum and maximum gap, pressure limit, vibration and CTE movement.
- Electrical safety: dielectric strength, insulation thickness and creepage or clearance constraints.
- Production: placement or dispensing method, line speed, cure and inspection.
For selection background, read why high W/mK does not always mean better cooling and how bond-line thickness changes thermal performance.
Custom Adhesive, Sealant, Potting and Coating Formulations
Electronic protection materials must work on real substrates and survive the real environment. Customization can address adhesion, modulus, cure speed, depth of cure, moisture resistance, dielectric performance, thermal cycling, flame behavior and production handling.
Electronic adhesives
Match adhesion, strength, flexibility and cure to plastics, metals, ceramics, glass, PCBs and coated parts.
Explore electronic adhesivesSealants and gaskets
Control flow, skin time, elasticity, environmental sealing and long-term stress around housings and connectors.
Read the silicone sealant guidePotting and encapsulation
Balance flow, exotherm, cure, shrinkage, modulus, dielectric properties and repair strategy for protected modules.
Review thermal potting basicsCoatings and surface protection
Adjust viscosity, film build, cure and environmental resistance for PCBs, sensors and sensitive electronics.
Review UV-curable materialsProperties That Can Be Tuned in a Custom Formulation
Properties are not adjusted independently. Every change has a cost or tradeoff, so the development brief should separate required limits from preferences. This helps the R&D team protect the features that matter most while creating room to solve process and reliability problems.
| Property group | Possible development targets | Why it matters in production | Typical tradeoffs to evaluate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rheology | Viscosity, thixotropy, slump, leveling, bead retention and jetting behavior | Controls dispense pressure, bead shape, settling, overflow and cycle consistency | Flow versus filler suspension, wetting versus shape retention |
| Cure profile | Fixture time, tack-free time, full cure, cure temperature, pot life and mix ratio | Determines takt time, work-in-process, rework window and energy use | Speed versus working time, low-temperature cure versus storage stability |
| Mechanical | Hardness, modulus, elongation, tensile strength, lap shear and compression behavior | Affects stress transfer, vibration, dimensional support and durability | Strength versus flexibility, softness versus cohesive stability |
| Thermal | Thermal conductivity, impedance, heat capacity, interface wetting and aging stability | Controls component temperature and heat flow through the real assembly | Conductive filler versus viscosity, density, modulus and cost |
| Electrical | Dielectric strength, volume resistivity, surface insulation resistance and ionic control | Supports insulation, signal integrity and high-voltage reliability | Filler choice, moisture uptake, bond-line thickness and cure completeness |
| Environmental | Temperature range, humidity, chemical resistance, flame behavior and low outgassing | Protects performance through service, shipping and storage conditions | Polymer selection, additive compatibility and qualification time |
| Handling | Color, odor, tack, package size, shelf life and storage condition | Improves operator use, traceability, waste control and line readiness | Convenience versus formulation stability and package economics |
How Haktak Develops a Custom Material Formulation
A useful custom formulation program is staged. Each step reduces uncertainty before the next investment. The exact timing depends on the chemistry, test plan, raw-material availability and how many iterations are needed; a requirement review should happen before any schedule is promised.
Application and requirement review
We review the assembly, substrates, drawings, process, service environment, target values, prohibited substances, current failure and commercial expectations. Requirements are ranked as mandatory, preferred or informational.
Technical feasibility and baseline
An existing material may be used as a benchmark, or the project may begin with a chemistry platform. Early work identifies incompatible targets, missing data and tests needed to judge success.
Laboratory formulation and screening
Candidate recipes are prepared and screened for critical properties such as rheology, cure, adhesion, hardness, thermal performance or electrical behavior. Candidates that fail the core requirement are removed early.
Engineering samples and application trials
Selected candidates are supplied for testing on real parts and equipment. Customer feedback on dispensing, assembly, temperature, adhesion and failure mode guides the next iteration.
Reliability validation and specification
The agreed candidate is tested against the final validation plan. Acceptance limits, test methods, storage, handling, packaging and relevant quality controls are documented.
Pilot batch and production transfer
Pilot work checks scale-up behavior, mixing, deaeration, filling, packaging and lot consistency. The released formulation is controlled through raw materials, process instructions and finished-product inspection.
Information Needed for a Custom Formulation Project
A good brief saves formulation cycles. You do not need a perfect specification on day one, but we do need to understand the device, the current problem and how success will be measured.
- Application, heat source or assembly function
- Substrates, surface treatments and contamination controls
- Gap, bond area, bond-line thickness and mechanical load
- Dispensing, mixing, cure, placement and inspection process
- Operating and peak temperature, humidity, vibration and chemicals
- Thermal, electrical, mechanical and flame requirements
- Restricted chemistry, low-outgassing or silicone-free needs
- Target validation method, sample quantity and forecast volume
Quality Control for Custom Electronic Material Formulations
A formulation is not ready because one laboratory sample looks good. It must be measurable and reproducible. The quality plan should connect raw materials, manufacturing conditions, finished properties and application-critical tests to a controlled specification.
Raw-material control
Approved sources, incoming inspection, filler characteristics, polymer condition and traceability help reduce lot variation.
Process control
Mix order, time, temperature, vacuum, filtration, moisture and filling conditions are defined around sensitive properties.
Release testing
Appearance, viscosity, density, cure, hardness, adhesion or thermal and electrical values are checked as appropriate.
Reliability evidence
Thermal cycling, high-temperature aging, humidity, vibration, chemical exposure or outgassing tests are selected by risk.
Test methods must be written into the specification because the same property can produce different results under different fixtures and conditions. See Haktak's guide to common thermal interface material testing standards for an example of why method details matter.
From Prototype Sample to Repeatable Production Supply
Scale-up should be considered while the formulation is still being designed. A recipe that works in a small cup may behave differently in a production mixer. Filler wetting, heat generation, air removal, moisture exposure, filtration and package filling all change with batch size.
Pilot before full release
A pilot batch checks whether laboratory performance survives larger equipment and longer processing. It also provides material for process trials and broader validation.
Match packaging to consumption
Package size should fit line usage, open life and dispensing equipment. Oversized packaging can create waste; undersized packaging can increase changeovers and variation.
Control change
Approved raw materials, specifications and manufacturing instructions should be controlled. Significant changes require technical review and, where necessary, revalidation.
Industries That Use Custom Electronic Material Formulations
Custom development is most valuable where heat, voltage, stress, contamination or service life create a difficult combination of requirements. The material still has to be validated in the customer's device; industry labels alone are never enough to select a formulation.
EV batteries and energy storage
Thermal gap filling, bonding, sealing, potting, flame behavior, vibration and automated dispensing for cells, modules, BMS and power distribution.
Power electronics
Heat transfer, dielectric safety, thermal cycling and stress control for IGBT, MOSFET, inverter, charger and power-conversion assemblies.
Semiconductor and PCB assembly
Underfill, component bonding, encapsulation, coating and low-contamination materials for dense or sensitive electronic packages.
Automotive electronics
Materials for sensors, cameras, control units and modules exposed to temperature, humidity, vibration, chemicals and long qualification cycles.
Telecom and data infrastructure
Thermal and environmental protection for radios, power supplies, base stations, servers, accelerators and high-duty electronics.
LED, optical and consumer devices
Fast cure, optical cleanliness, compact thermal paths and precision dispensing for lighting, cameras, displays and small assemblies.
Representative Custom Formulation Scenarios
The following are representative engineering scenarios, not claims about a named customer. They show how a requirement should be translated into a formulation direction and validation plan.
Gap filler places too much stress on a PCB
The project may need a softer system, better wetting or a different dispensing volume rather than simply a higher conductivity. The team should measure the real gap and compression, then compare component temperature and board strain through thermal cycling.
Potting compound cracks around a power module
The investigation should review exotherm, cure shrinkage, modulus, CTE mismatch, local thickness and cure schedule. A lower-stress chemistry or staged cure may help, but electrical and environmental protection must remain within specification.
UV adhesive leaves shadow areas under-cured
Geometry and light access are part of the material decision. A dual-cure direction, a different dispense pattern or an assembly change may be more robust than increasing UV dose without understanding the shadowed bond line.
Material passes the lab but fails automated dispensing
Viscosity measured at one condition may not describe shear-thinning, recovery, temperature sensitivity or filler settling. Trials should use the intended nozzle, pressure, cycle, material conditioning and delay before assembly.
Related Materials and Engineering Guides
Use these product and blog resources to define the starting material family, understand the main selection variables and prepare a stronger formulation brief.
Have a Material Problem That a Catalog Product Cannot Solve?
Send the assembly drawing, substrates, current material, failure mode, required properties, process conditions, reliability plan and forecast. Haktak can review whether selection, modification or a new custom formulation is the practical next step.
Custom Formulation FAQ
What is a custom material formulation?
It is a material developed or modified around a specific application. Chemistry, fillers, additives, viscosity, cure, hardness, adhesion, thermal behavior and other properties can be balanced to meet the device and production requirements.
When should we request a custom formulation instead of using a standard product?
Request custom development when existing products repeatedly miss a critical technical, reliability or process requirement. If a standard product already meets the complete requirement, using it is normally faster and more economical.
What materials can Haktak customize?
Haktak supports development across thermal interface and heat-transfer materials, electronic adhesives, sealants, potting and encapsulation compounds, coatings and related polymer systems.
Can Haktak modify an existing product instead of developing from zero?
Yes. When a proven platform is close to the target, controlled adjustment may be more efficient. Feasibility depends on which property must change and whether the adjustment disrupts cure, stability or another critical feature.
Can thermal conductivity and softness be increased at the same time?
Sometimes, but these targets often compete because conductive fillers can increase viscosity, hardness or density. The development goal should be final thermal impedance and component stress, not the highest conductivity value alone.
Can you develop silicone-free or low-outgassing materials?
Haktak can evaluate silicone-free and low-outgassing directions for sensitive applications. The customer should define the restriction, test method, limit and surfaces at risk so the requirement is measurable.
What information is needed before formulation work begins?
Provide the application, substrates, drawing, gap or bond line, process, temperatures, voltage, environment, required properties, current failure, validation method, sample needs and estimated production volume.
How long does a custom formulation project take?
Timing depends on chemistry, raw-material availability, number of iterations, customer test time and reliability requirements. Haktak reviews the technical brief before proposing a realistic development path and schedule.
What tests are performed on a custom formulation?
Testing is selected by application and may include viscosity, cure, hardness, adhesion, thermal conductivity or impedance, dielectric properties, aging, humidity, thermal cycling, vibration, chemical resistance, outgassing and dispensing trials.
Can samples be tested on our production equipment?
Yes, and this is strongly recommended. Laboratory measurements cannot fully reproduce nozzle geometry, pressure, cycle time, material conditioning, assembly delay or the real substrate condition.
Does a custom formulation require a minimum order quantity?
Commercial requirements depend on the raw materials, batch process, package format and ongoing volume. Share forecast demand early so technical and supply decisions can be evaluated together.
How is lot-to-lot consistency controlled?
Consistency is supported through approved raw materials, defined manufacturing instructions, in-process controls, finished-product specifications, release testing and traceability appropriate to the formulation.
Can Haktak support pilot production and packaging?
Yes. Pilot work can evaluate scale-up, mixing, deaeration, filling and application behavior. Packaging can be reviewed around dispensing equipment, consumption rate, shelf life and waste control.
Who owns the custom formulation?
Commercial and intellectual-property terms should be agreed for the specific project before development begins. Requirements can vary depending on development scope, exclusivity, tooling, testing and volume commitment.