Material

ESD Protection

Name: Conpads™ Conductive Grounding Pads
Brand: Conpads

Silicone rubber modified to prevent build-up of electrical charge, mitigating the risk of damage due to sudden static discharge

Grounding pads with various surface finishes, one adhered to sheet metal used for ESD protection

Managing electrostatic discharge is critical for many industries – an unwanted static discharge can damage sensitive electronics and static discharge in the presence of fuel can be catastrophic. Stockwell Elastomerics offers standard and custom material solutions for managing ESD. Visit the ESD, EMI, and Electrically Conductive Materials Technical Data Sheets page for detailed technical information on these materials.

Silicone sponge with T62 conductive coating is used in the electronic packaging industry as gaskets on test chambers and burn-in reflow ovens. The soft silicone sponge rubber cushions integrated circuits and components during thermal testing cycles. Silicone has a wide operating temperature range – it stays compliant at sub-zero temperatures and is stable at temperatures above 392°F (200°C), making it an ideal material for burn-in and reflow applications. Stockwell Elastomerics’ T62 conductive coating is applied to surfaces to create a grounding path to prevent tribocharging on the rubber surface.

T62 Conductive Silicone Sponge Gaskets and Pads

Silicone sponge sheets are inherently electrically insulating and can be triboelectric charged with friction. Triboelectric charging (also called tribocharging) can be generated by simple friction, even as simply as air passing over the surface. To address this, Stockwell Elastomerics applies a proprietary dispersion layer of carbon filled conductive silicone rubber onto the surfaces of silicone sponge. By coating all the surfaces with Stockwell Elastomerics’ T62 conductive coating, X-Y-Z axis conductivity is achieved. It’s important to note that the conductive path in the Z axis is around the edges of the material and not through it.

T62 Coating on Silicone Sponge Pad for ESD Protection Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRh-BzOsBog

T62 Coating on Silicone Sponge Pad for ESD Protection (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRh-BzOsBog)

Stockwell Elastomerics’ T62 conductive coating has similar temperature and physical properties as the silicone sponge rubber and doesn’t inhibit the material’s flexibility or ability to cushion or seal. T62 conductive coated silicone sponge can be specified in soft (S480-62-CON), medium (S470-62-CON) and firm (S418-62-CON) densities. View Silicone Sponge Rubber Gaskets and Seals with Conductive Coating for ESD Protection technical data sheet (PDF).

Request a Free Silicone Sponge with T62 Conductive Coating for ESD Protection Sample For Evaluation

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Conductive Silicone

SE65-CON conductive silicone rubber is a carbon particle filled silicone with a max 5.0 ohm-cm volume resistivity, available in 65 durometer Shore A. SE65-CON is used for environmental gaskets with the added electrical conductivity for grounding ESD. SE65-CON conductive silicone is available from Stockwell Elastomerics in sheets or custom cut parts. SE65-CON is available in thickness ranging from .020″ to .500″.

Stockwell Elastomerics also offers 3D compression molding of carbon filled silicone to manufacture parts such as conductive mounting pads and conductive seals. Carbon filled silicone rubber is compression molded or fabricated from sheets using Stockwell Elastomerics’ die cutting or water jet cutting capabilities. SE65-CON, carbon filled silicone compound – which has proven to maintain its electrical properties after years of exposure to sunlight and outdoor conditions.

Conpads™ Conductive Grounding Pads

Stockwell Elastomerics manufactures Conpads™ for rocket motor and missile cushioning and grounding. Conpads™ are heavy-duty conductive grounding pads that were designed to help protect rocket motors from damage during transport and storage – they incorporate a conductive surface layer to ground ESD to help prevent unwanted tribochaging. Smaller and softer versions of Stockwell Elastomerics’ Conpads™ are available for cushioning and grounding missiles and other sensitive munitions. See the Conpads™ conductive grounding pads page for more information.

Custom Conductive Gaskets and Pads for ESD

Stockwell Elastomerics custom cuts conductive coated silicone parts to customer specified geometries. Soft, T62 coated silicone sponge parts are cut and coated on designated surfaces and edges; for Z-axis conductivity “coating all edges” needs to be specified. Solid, carbon filled silicone (SE65-CON) can be die cut, waterjet cut or tool-less flashcut; SE65-CON is particle filled so it has isotropic conductivity. Stockwell Elastomerics also offers carbon filled conductive silicone gaskets with 3M 9713 when an adhesive backed gasket is needed.

Conductive Silicone Sealant

Conductive silicone sealant RTV60-CON is a one part, room temperature vulcanizing, carbon filled conductive adhesive. RTV60-CON makes a strong, vulcanized bond between electrically conductive silicone to metal assemblies. It cures at room temperature when exposed to atmospheric moisture.

Conductive Neoprene

Conductive neoprene SCR7020-CON, with 50,000 max ohm-cm resistivity, is available in 70 durometer Shore A sheets from .032″ to .250″ thick. Mounting pads from .062″ up to 1.0″ thick can be compression molded or fabricated to size using Stockwell Elastomerics’ water jet cutting capabilities. Applications for SCR7020-CON conductive neoprene include pads used in electronic assembly, gaskets in powder packaging systems where ESD is critical, and mounting pads used in holding and transporting aerospace hardware and tooling.

Frequently Asked Questions about ESD Protection

What is ESD protection and why is it important?

ESD protection prevents electrostatic discharge (ESD) events that can damage electronics, degrade component reliability, or cause latent failures. If a sudden massive surge of voltage and current flows through critical circuitry that’s designed for low power, thermal overstress and physical breakdown can occur. ESD materials dissipate a potentially damaging charge before it can reach this circuitry.

What materials are used for ESD protection?

Stockwell Elastomerics sources and fabricates four families of ESD-safe materials: carbon-filled silicone rubber, conductive-coated silicone sheets, conductive pads and grounding gaskets. These materials are engineered for predictable charge dissipation and stable resistivity.

How do ESD materials differ from EMI shielding materials?

ESD materials are designed to dissipate static charge at controlled rates. Their electrical resistivity is moderate and in the static-dissipative range. EMI materials are designed to block electromagnetic interference (EMI) instead. They have very low resistance and very high conductivity. Some materials can serve both roles, but not all ESD materials provide EMI shielding.

What is surface resistivity and how does it define an ESD-safe material?

Surface resistivity measures the resistance to electrical current flowing across the surface of an insulator. It’s expressed in ohms per square Ω/sq. Stockwell Elastomerics’ ESD materials typically fall within 10⁴ to 10⁹ Ω/sq, a range that’s considered to be static-dissipative. Materials in this range allows charge to dissipate safely without creating unintended electrical shorts.

What applications commonly use ESD gaskets or pads?

Engineers use ESD materials for printed circuit board to chassis (PCB-to-Chassis) grounding, keypad and interface layers, touchscreen perimeter gaskets, and device housings and access panels. Protective materials are also used with ESD-safe packaging and handling fixtures, and with internal cushions that must dissipate charge.

What are conductive-coated silicone sheets and when are they used?

Conductive-coated silicone sheets are silicone substrates coated with a thin, uniform, electrically conductive layer that provides stable surface resistivity. These materials are used for keypad contacts, ESD grounding gaskets, and other applications that require the material properties of silicone with protection against electrostatic discharge.

Can ESD materials provide environmental sealing?

Some can, but it depends on the base elastomer. Carbon-filled silicone provides good environmental sealing and can support IP/NEMA requirements. Conductive-coated silicone provides good mechanical sealing, but its coating may limit its use in harsh environments. Conductive foam is not suitable for water sealing.

How do engineers choose between carbon-filled silicone and conductive-coated silicone?

Choose carbon-filled silicone when you need robust environmental sealing, want consistent volume resistivity, and need molded or die-cut parts. Choose conductive-coated silicone when you need thin, flexible layers; stable surface resistivity; or you’re designing keypads, contacts, or low-profile pads.

Can ESD materials be supplied with a PSA?

Yes. Stockwell Elastomerics offers both conductive and non-conductive pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA). Non-conductive PSAs are used for mechanical placement. Conductive PSAs are used for grounding paths. PSA-backed pads are common for PCB grounding, keypad layers, and internal device shielding.

How stable is the electrical performance of ESD materials over time?

ESD silicones and conductive-coated silicones maintain consistent surface resistivity across wide temperature and humidity ranges. Unlike carbon-loaded plastics, silicone-based ESD materials do not dry out, become embrittled, or drift significantly in resistivity. This makes them ideal for long-life electronics and harsh-environment assemblies.

Contact Stockwell Elastomeric for ESD Protection

Contact Us for further assistance with materials for ESD protection, and ESD production products such as conductive grounding pads (Conpads™), ESD gaskets and pads.