Noctua releases carbon nanotube thermal pads designed to replace paste on AMD processors

Cooling manufacturer Noctua has released the NT-CP1 AM5/4 Carbice carbon nanotube thermal pad for AMD AM4 and AM5 processors. The pad is available now for $24.95 in the US and €24.95 in Europe. Developed in partnership with nanotechnology firm Carbice, the product aims to serve as a long-term alternative to traditional thermal paste. [2][3]

The NT-CP1 features vertically aligned carbon nanotubes layered around an aluminum backbone with a nanoscale polymer coating, creating an ultra-thin 90µm profile precut to 33x33mm. Noctua says the design makes the pad easier to handle and electrically insulating as long as the polymer layer stays intact. Rather than degrading over time from cracking or pump-out, the pad is claimed to conform to microscopic surface imperfections over repeated thermal cycles, maintaining stable performance for years after an initial activation period. [2]