Proven reliability: Carbice can extend GPU lifespan with continuous thermal performance.
In this final update of our Carbice blog series on the NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super GPU, we dive into the results of our comprehensive testing using the Carbice® Pad™. After subjecting the NVIDIA GPU to six years, or 12,000 cycles, of extreme thermal conditions, the Carbice Pad continues to deliver efficient heat dissipation and protection from thermal damage without any indication of a failure mode as expected with the unique science of aligned carbon nanotube contact mechanics. Unlike other thermal interface materials that eventually fail, Carbice’s extended lifespan lowers lifetime device temperatures and energy use while also improving sustainability by enabling electronic components to operate safely over longer periods of time.
As computing needs continue to expand rapidly, driven by advances in AI, big data analytics, and cloud computing, data centers face mounting pressure to optimize performance and manage extreme thermal challenges. At the heart of these challenges lies a simple yet crucial element: thermal interface materials (TIMs). For data center operators, server manufacturers, and component suppliers like NVIDIA and AMD, choosing the right TIM can mean the difference between prolonged reliability and premature failure of expensive hardware.
Carbice Pad
The Growing Need for Advanced Thermal Solutions
Modern GPUs are pushing thermal performance limits. With designs featuring multiple silicon chips bonded together for increased speed and power, these GPUs generate unprecedented levels of heat. Recently, it's been reported that NVIDIA is working with suppliers and partners to develop server rack designs to mitigate overheating concerns with their Blackwell chips. These challenges highlight the urgent need for TIMs that can handle higher thermal loads and mechanical stresses over extended lifespans.
Consider the stakes: Each GPU in NVIDIA's GB200 Grace Blackwell series costs $70,000, with server racks exceeding $3 million. When thermal and mechanical inefficiencies arise, the resulting hardware failures, performance throttling, and downtime create ripple effects across data centers, jeopardizing investments and operational goals.
And from Carbice’s standpoint, it’s not just about heat.
As our CEO and Founder, Dr. Baratunde “Bara” Cola, shared in a recent PCMag article, high-performance chips will always run hot, but early failure occurs when interfaces can't handle the thermal expansion stress. This is a hard materials science problem. As we shared in our LinkedIn post on the subject, we believe that addressing these challenges requires a deeper focus on materials science and the ability to manage thermal expansion effectively. To have long-term success in high-performance computing, balancing heat with structural integrity is key.
The Carbice Advantage
Through extensive thermal cycling and thermal shock testing, the Carbice Pad has proven its reliability and performance in demanding applications. Unlike traditional thermal pastes that degrade quickly under extreme conditions, the Carbice Pad maintained consistent thermal conductivity over 12,000 cycles — equivalent to six years of accelerated use. This is a significant improvement over the industry-standard of around 5,000 cycles, which no longer aligns with the thermal demands of modern data center environments.
These results are not unexpected because Carbice is based on decades of scientific research and the creation of the first ever thermal interface that does not mechanically fail in use. We have even collaborated with numerous 3rd parties to validate the reliability of Carbice, including the National Renewable Energy Lab where they imaged real interfaces under cycling and showed how Carbice does not have the same mechanical failure mechanisms of grease and PCM (Meet Ice Pad™ | Carbice)
1. Exceptional Heat Dissipation and Faster Computational Time
The Carbice Pad fills microscopic air gaps between GPUs and heat sinks, ensuring maximum heat transfer. In our RTX 4080 Super GPU tests, temperatures remained stable at 69°C under maximum power usage even after years of cycling. By mitigating hotspots and ensuring uniform cooling, the Carbice Pad not only protects electronic components but also maximizes their performance.
2. Long-Term Durability and Lower Asset and Warranty Costs
Thermal expansion and contraction during operation can cause traditional TIMs to degrade, leading to mechanical stress on GPU packages. The Carbice Pad’s mechanical elasticity minimizes these effects, maintaining integrity even under repeated thermal shocks. During our testing, the GPU temperature consistently reverted to safe operating levels after extreme thermal shock, a testament to the material’s resilience.
3. Sustainability and Lower Energy Costs
Power consumption in data centers already accounts for over 1% of global electricity usage. Reliable TIMs like the Carbice Pad help address this challenge by preventing the performance degradation associated with overheating. This contributes to better power usage efficiency (PUE) and reduces long-term energy costs. Additionally, the Carbice Pad’s durability minimizes e-waste by extending the lifespan of GPUs and other hardware.
Meeting the Challenges of Extended Refresh Cycles
The Uptime Institute’s latest data reveals increasing refresh cycle lengths for IT equipment in data centers, driven by supply chain constraints, rising costs, and power limitations. Many operators are now forced to keep hardware in service for longer periods. This trend underscores the importance of TIMs like the Carbice Pad, which offer reliability and performance over extended lifespans.
Protecting Investments
With the cost of replacing server racks and GPUs reaching millions of dollars, data centers must prioritize equipment longevity. A failure in one GPU can lead to inefficiencies across an entire rack, slowing down operations and increasing cooling requirements. The Carbice Pad ensures that GPUs operate within safe temperature ranges, even under sustained high loads, protecting these critical investments.
Why Testing Standards Must Evolve
Current reliability testing standards in the industry are outdated, focusing on consumer applications with limited thermal demands. However, the rise of high-performance computing (HPC) and AI workloads has brought new thermal challenges, including:
- Higher Thermal Loads: Modern GPUs like NVIDIA's H100, with thermal design power (TDP) ratings of up to 700W, far exceed previous generations’ cooling requirements.
- Thermal Shock: Large fluctuations in ambient temperatures during operation can cause thermal expansion and contraction, stressing components.
- Increased Operational Hours: Data centers are running workloads continuously, often for years, amplifying the need for long-term thermal solutions.
Testing must reflect these realities. Our testing on the RTX 4080 Super GPU, which involved extreme thermal cycling and shock conditions, demonstrated the Carbice Pad's ability to meet modern demands. These results make a compelling case for updating testing protocols to ensure TIMs are ready for emerging challenges.
A Path Forward for HPC and AI in Data Centers
The challenges faced by data centers today require innovative solutions that go beyond traditional cooling approaches. Advanced TIMs like the Carbice Pad are essential for ensuring that GPUs and other components can withstand the stresses of next-generation computing environments. By prioritizing quality TIMs, data center operators can achieve:
- Improved System Reliability: Avoiding performance bottlenecks caused by overheating or component failure.
- Extended Hardware Lifespan: Supporting longer refresh cycles without sacrificing performance.
- Cost Savings: Lowering utility and asset management costs.
The Carbice Pad is setting a new standard for TIMs, offering unparalleled reliability and performance for high-performance computing applications. For data centers navigating the complexities of AI and HPC workloads, the Carbice solution represents a critical step toward meeting the demands of the future.
For data centers navigating the complexities of AI and HPC workloads, the Carbice solution represents a critical step toward meeting the demands of the future.
The results of our testing on the RTX 4080 Super GPU demonstrate Carbice as a reliable solution to thermal interface challenges across all computing applications.
These findings underscore the opportunity for the industry to embrace more reliable, affordable, and practical cooling solutions. Carbice delivers exactly what’s needed: an affordable, easy-to-implement thermal interface that eliminates failure while staying competitively priced. In a cost-sensitive and conservative industry, Carbice makes the transition seamless and efficient. The era of high-performance computing demands nothing less.
—
#BuildStronger.
Carbice is for pioneers.™