# Liquid Metal Study Debunks Thermal Dry-Out Myth

October 16, 2026 at 12:43 PM

> A two-year study by der8auer reveals liquid metal forms solid chemical compounds like CuGa2 rather than drying out during hardware use.

YouTuber and **Thermal Grizzly** CEO **der8auer** has concluded a two-year electron microscope study on liquid metal thermal interface materials. The research reveals that liquid metal does not dry out but instead forms a solid compound through a chemical reaction.

**Gallium** in the alloy bonds with copper to create CuGa2, a solid compound stable up to 254 degrees Celsius. While bare copper allows layers up to 100 micrometers thick, nickel plating limits this to 10 micrometers by forming a thinner NiGa5 compound layer.

This chemical transition is critical as hardware power density rises, with the **RTX 5080** reaching triple the density of the 8800 GTX. Despite rising gallium costs and export bans, Thermal Grizzly is launching a new **KryoSheet** graphene pad for bare die use.


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