Replacing a solder joint with an adhesive only works if the adhesive actually conducts current through the bond line — a thermally conductive epoxy that stays electrically insulating solves a completely different problem. Incure’s Epo-Weld™ thermally and electrically conductive line covers that specific requirement with two metal-filled grades, and the choice between them comes down to whether the joint needs cost-effective structural conductivity or the lowest possible contact resistance. Both are two-part epoxies rather than single-component pastes, and both replace solder specifically where a soldering iron’s heat, flux residue, or the joint’s own dissimilar-metal pairing would create more problems than the solder solves.
Two Filler Metals, Two Different Priorities
TEC-9015 uses nickel filler to deliver stable electrical conductivity and magnetic shielding at a lower material cost than silver, positioned as the practical choice for structural electrical joints, shielding gasket bonding, and grounding strap attachment. At Shore D73–D83 hardness, 11,200 PSI flexural strength, and 2,600 PSI tensile shear, it carries real structural load in addition to conducting current — a genuine adhesive replacement for mechanical clips or solder joints on shielding gaskets, not just a conductive filler. TEC-9017 swaps in pure silver filler instead, trading cost for genuinely lower contact resistance and better long-term conductivity stability, since silver resists the oxidation that can gradually degrade a nickel-filled joint’s conductivity over years of service. Its mechanical profile shifts accordingly: 16,000 PSI flexural strength is higher than TEC-9015’s, but tensile shear drops to 1,200 PSI, reflecting that TEC-9017 is optimized for electrical performance on smaller, more delicate bonds rather than load-bearing structural joints. That cost-versus-performance trade-off is a genuine one worth weighing rather than defaulting to silver out of caution — nickel’s per-unit material cost sits well below silver’s, and on a shielding gasket or grounding strap where structural load and general conductivity matter more than shaving down contact resistance to its practical minimum, TEC-9015 delivers the property the joint actually needs without paying for precision it won’t use.
Viscosity Reflects the Scale of the Bond Line Each Grade Targets
TEC-9015 is considerably thicker at 90,000–120,000 cP, a paste consistency suited to bonding gaskets and straps where the adhesive needs to hold its shape and bridge a real gap. TEC-9017 is more flowable at 48,000–65,000 cP, better suited to precise, controlled dispensing onto small electronic components and LED leads where excess material bridging adjacent contacts would create a short rather than a solid ground path. Both grades share the same three cure options — 24 hours at room temperature, 2 hours at 100°F, or 1 hour at 200°F — so the decision between a slow room-temperature cure and a faster heated one is purely a throughput choice, not a factor in which grade to specify.
Email Us with your contact resistance requirement, bond size, and whether the joint carries structural load, and Incure’s engineers can confirm which Epo-Weld™ conductive grade actually fits.
Not the Same Line as Incure’s Thermally Conductive Epoxy
It’s worth distinguishing this line from Incure’s separate thermally conductive epoxy line — TC-9033, TC-9042, and TC-9051 move heat away from a component without necessarily conducting electricity, and TC-9051 is specifically formulated to stay electrically insulating while still conducting heat. TEC-9015 and TEC-9017 do the opposite: both conduct current and heat simultaneously through the same metal filler, which is exactly the property a grounding strap or an EMI shielding gasket needs and exactly the property TC-9051 is built to avoid. Specifying a thermally conductive but electrically insulating grade where the joint actually needs to carry current — or the reverse — is the kind of mismatch that only shows up once the assembly is in service, so confirming which property the application needs before choosing between these two lines matters more than it might first appear. Both TEC-9015 and TEC-9017 hold up against moisture, chemical exposure, and thermal cycling in normal service, but neither substitutes for checking galvanic compatibility between the filler metal and the substrates being joined — a nickel-filled joint on a substrate that reacts poorly with nickel, or a silver-filled joint in an environment prone to silver migration under sustained voltage, can undermine the very conductivity the adhesive was chosen to provide.
Where the Line Fits
EMI and RFI shielding gasket bonding, grounding strap attachment, and general structural electrical joints favor TEC-9015’s combination of cost-effective conductivity and real mechanical strength. Rapid circuit repair, field maintenance on sensitive electronics, and LED or small-component bonding favor TEC-9017’s lower contact resistance and finer dispensing control, particularly in heat-sensitive assemblies where a soldering iron’s heat would damage nearby components. Facilities running Incure’s thermally conductive epoxy line or high temperature bonding adhesive line for other bonding needs on the same electronics assembly can add these two grades specifically where a joint has to conduct current, not just heat.
Contact Our Team to confirm the Epo-Weld™ thermally and electrically conductive grade for your application.
Visit www.incurelab.com for more information.