Nickel or Copper?

[bhtechmech]

Whats better conductor to adsorb the heat? I want to buy a CPU HS cooler but Im not sure if I should go for the all copper one or the Nickel Plated one. The Nickel plated one looks nicer but I want function as well as aesthetic value. They are both made by Zalman and both with 110mm fan built into them, but the nickel one is a little cheaper.
Thanks

 

[overshocked]

The nickel plated one is usually just copper plated with a layer 0.01mm thick of nickel, so it wont effect the temp much. But to answer your question, copper is SO much more conductive than nickle.

Nickel has a thermal conductivety of 91 W/(mK)

CNS (chrome nickel steel) has a thermal conductivety of 16.3 W/(mK)
^I think that is what they use (not sure though)

Copper has a thermal conductivety of 401 W/(mK).

The only other metal that is more heat condctive than copper is silver wich has a thermal conductivety of 429 W/(mK).

 

[Shadow703793]

^ #1 is Diamond actually (but you are right, Diamond isn't metal )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_conductivity
900 - 2320 w/mK

 

[DoofusOfDeath]

The nickel plated one is usually just copper plated with a layer 0.01mm thick of nickel, so it wont effect the temp much. But to answer your question, copper is SO much more conductive than nickle.

Nickel has a thermal conductivety of 91 W/(mK)

CNS (chrome nickel steel) has a thermal conductivety of 16.3 W/(mK)
^I think that is what they use (not sure though)

Copper has a thermal conductivety of 401 W/(mK).

The only other metal that is more heat condctive than copper is silver wich has a thermal conductivety of 429 W/(mK).

Does the presence of an interface matter? For example, suppose you're building a plate of metal that will be a total of 1 cm thick. And no matter what, you're going to build it with a total of 5mm of copper and 5 mm of nickel.

Will the following two configurations give you the same thermal conductivity?

(1) Alternating layers of nickel and copper, each layer being 1 mm thick.
(2) A 5mm layer of copper, followed by a 5mm layer of nickel.

I *assume* that in case (1), all of those non-crystaline interfaces would conduct heat less effictively. But I'm just guessing.

 

[Guest]

I think what this person who has the same question as me about what I believe to be the same fan, is trying to say is apparently one is copper throughout whereas one is silver with a nickel finish.. i would assume that the one that is copper throughout is the more effective one...