PyroFlex PGS & Graphene Thermal Straps (X-Series)
Technology Applications Inc (TAI)
Ultra-low-stiffness pyrolytic graphite sheet (PGS) and graphene foil thermal straps offering the industry's highest thermal conductivity, NASA JPL space-qualified in 2018.
Technical specifications
- Material
- Pyrolytic Graphite Film/Sheet (PGF/PGS), optional Graphene Layered Foil
- Thermal conductivity
- 1,350 - 2,500 W/(m-K), depending on material, temperature, and sheet thickness
- Performance vs. metals
- 6x the performance of aluminum and 4x the performance of copper at room temperature
- Mass vs. metals
- 28% lighter than aluminum; 77% lighter than copper
- Stiffness
- mN/mm range on all 3 axes when installed in curved/S-configurations (many measurements <=3 mN/mm)
- Standard models
- 4 standard X-Series models, 3 fixed widths, 2 thicknesses, 2 semi-customizable end-fitting types
- HCCF end fittings
- High Conductivity Carbon Fiber fittings: 200 W/(m-K) at 300K (X/Y axis), 129 W/(m-K) cross-plane (Z-axis)
- Encapsulation
- Optional Mylar or kapton sleeves; chromated end fittings for corrosion mitigation (PyroFlex itself needs no sleeve)
- Qualification
- Space-qualified by NASA JPL in 2018: thermal conductance, thermal cycling, stiffness, vibration, PCL/PAC/FPAC particulate and outgassing testing
- Flight heritage / TRL
- NASA TRL 9; flown on Orion (Artemis II/III), Blue Origin New Glenn, JHU APL IMAP, HyTI CubeSat, Turion Space DROID 002
- Typical lead time
- 8-10 weeks
- Operating temperature range
- Qualified 10K - 300K; used in cryogenic/quantum computing applications 40K - 115K
About
TAI’s PyroFlex PGS (Pyrolytic Graphite Sheet) product line, also known as the X-Series, is the world’s highest thermal-performance, “ultra-low stiffness” thermal strap. As spacecraft, CubeSat, and instrument requirements have pushed past what metallic cable, foil, or graphite-fiber straps can meet, PyroFlex and GTL straps – made from Pyrolytic Graphite Film (PGF/PGS) sheets or optional Graphene Layered Foil – deliver 3-4x the performance of equivalent copper or graphite-fiber straps, 10-30% more than competing carbon straps, and are 28% lighter than aluminum and 77% lighter than copper.
The X-Series standard line comprises 4 models (3 fixed widths, 2 thicknesses, semi-customizable end fittings), while custom PyroFlex/GTL straps allow nearly any width, thickness, and end-fitting material, including TAI’s exclusive High Conductivity Carbon Fiber (HCCF) fittings (200 W/(m-K) at 300K). Material thermal conductivity ranges 1,350-2,500 W/(m-K). Space-qualified by NASA JPL in 2018 (thermal conductance, thermal cycling, stiffness, vibration, and particulate/outgassing testing), PyroFlex straps do not require encapsulation sleeves and have since reached NASA TRL 9, flying on Lockheed Martin’s Artemis II/III Orion DAQ systems, Blue Origin’s New Glenn, Johns Hopkins APL’s IMAP mission, the University of Hawaii’s HyTI CubeSat, and Turion Space’s DROID 002 debris-removal mission.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
