Good thermal conductivity: Aluminum has a high thermal conductivity, allowing it to transfer heat to the surface of the Heat Sink more efficiently, thus improving the heat dissipation performance.
Corrosion resistance: Aluminum has better corrosion resistance compared to copper, which ensures a longer lifespan for the heat sink.
Low cost: The production cost of aluminum is lower than that of copper, making aluminum heat sinks more cost-effective to manufacture.
Reasons why heat sinks are not segmented: The primary function of a heat sink is to transfer heat from the heat source to the air. If the heat sink is segmented, it would affect the efficiency of heat transfer. Therefore, heat sinks are typically continuous to achieve maximum heat dissipation efficiency.
Detailed reasons why aluminum is preferred over copper for heat sinks:
Thermal conductivity: Aluminum's thermal conductivity is high, and under the same volume and weight, aluminum can transfer heat to the surface of the heat sink faster than copper, improving the heat dissipation efficiency.
Density: Aluminum has a lower density and is lighter compared to copper, which helps reduce the overall weight of the heat dissipation system. This is particularly important for mobile devices.
Cost: Aluminum is cheaper than copper. From a cost perspective, using aluminum heat sinks reduces the manufacturing cost of the entire heat dissipation system.
In summary, aluminum heat sinks have become the mainstream choice due to these advantages. However, in certain special applications, copper heat sinks still have their benefits. For example, in high-frequency CPU coolers, copper heat sinks may be more suitable due to their higher thermal conductivity and stronger corrosion resistance.