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Indium Foil
Available Configurations
Properties common to all products in this list
| Purity | Thickness | Length | Width | Temper Options | Support Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.8% to 99.999% | 0.002mm to 3mm | 10mm to 1000mm | 10mm to 305mm | As Rolled | Temporary acrylic |
Need custom configurations? Please contact our Technical Solutions team.
Key Features
Indium foil possesses a combination of material characteristics that make it particularly well suited for thermal interface, cryogenic sealing, precision bonding, and thin-film applications:
Low Melting Point (156.6 °C)
Indium's low melting point supports soldering of heat-sensitive components and enables bonding at reduced temperatures. It is widely used in electronics assembly, hybrid bonding, and low-temperature sealing.
Cryogenic Sealing Capability
Indium foil maintains sealing performance down to at least -150 °C, outperforming conventional materials that become brittle at low temperatures. It is used in vacuum systems, superconducting devices, and cryogenic enclosures.
Thermal Interface Performance (82 W/m·K)
Indium foil combines high thermal conductivity with extremely low thermal resistance due to its softness and conformability. It fills microscopic gaps between surfaces, enabling efficient heat transfer in microelectronic interfaces, laser diode mounts, and cryogenic systems.
Exceptional Ductility & Malleability
Indium remains soft and pliable even at cryogenic temperatures. It conforms readily to irregular surfaces, forming reliable seals and contacts in ultra-low temperature environments and precision assemblies.
Oxidation Resistance & Self-Passivation
Indium forms a stable oxide layer that protects its surface without significantly compromising thermal or electrical performance. This self-passivating behaviour supports long-term reliability in sealed or exposed systems.
Solderability & Alloy Compatibility
Indium readily alloys with tin, silver, and lead, forming solders with excellent wetting and fatigue resistance. These are used in optoelectronics, thermal assemblies, and precision microjoining.
Thin-Film Deposition Source Material
Indium foil serves as a source material for sputtering or evaporation to produce indium-based coatings, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), which are essential in touchscreens, solar cells, and flat-panel displays.
Industrial Applications
High-purity indium foil is used across advanced technology sectors for its exceptional malleability, low vapour pressure, thermal conductivity, and ability to form hermetic seals:
- ✦ Thermal Interface Materials
- Used in high-performance electronics and power systems to enhance heat transfer between components and heat sinks. Its softness allows it to conform to surface irregularities, minimising thermal resistance in CPUs, laser diodes, and RF amplifiers.
- ✦ Vacuum & Cryogenic Sealing
- Employed in ultra-high vacuum systems, cryogenic assemblies, and hermetic enclosures where its ductility and low-temperature flexibility ensure long-lasting, gas-tight seals in scientific, aerospace, and quantum computing applications.
- ✦ Precision Soldering & Bonding
- Used in low-temperature soldering and diffusion bonding of delicate components in optoelectronics, infrared detectors, and semiconductor packaging — owing to its low melting point and excellent wetting properties.
- ✦ Thin-Film Deposition & Target Materials
- Used in sputtering and evaporation processes to deposit indium-based films for transparent conductive coatings in touchscreens, LCDs, and thin-film photovoltaics.
- ✦ High-Reliability Electrical Contacts
- Applied in connectors, switches, and RF components where its conductivity, softness, and resistance to oxidation ensure stable electrical contact under thermal or mechanical cycling.
Mentions in Scientific Literature
Goodfellow's indium foil features prominently in research including but not exclusive to domains such as:
Optics & Laser Systems, where it is used to maintain good thermal contact and stable crystal alignment in photoionisation laser systems
[1]
.
Surface Science & Material Analysis, where it serves as a high-purity reference material in hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) studies for generating reliable photoelectron spectra
[2]
.
Astrobiological Sample Collection & Space Instrument Development, used as a soft impact surface in high-speed experiments designed to capture organic molecules from ice particles simulating conditions found in space, and as a capture surface in space hardware due to its cleanability and compatibility with organic residue analysis
[3]
.
Across these disciplines researchers have utilised our indium foils as
thermal interface and crystal alignment layers in precision laser systems
[1]
,
high-purity spectroscopic reference materials in HAXPES characterisation
[2]
, and
soft impact-absorbing capture substrates for astrobiological hypervelocity experiments
[3]
— applications that all benefit from indium's softness, chemical purity, and adaptability in sensitive experimental environments.
References & Citations
Click to expand
- Lechner, R., & Blatt, R. (2010). Photoionisation of Ca with a frequency-doubled 422 nm laser and a 377 nm laser diode. https://www.quantumoptics.at/images/publications/diploma/diplom_rechner.pdf
- Zborowski, C., A. Vanleenhove, I. Hoflijk, I. Vaesen, K. Artyushkova, & Conard, T. (2023). HAXPES Cr Kα measurement of bulk indium. Surface Science Spectra, 30(2). https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0003161
- New, J. S., Kazemi, B., Price, M. C., Cole, M. J., Vassi Spathis, Mathies, R. A., & Butterworth, A. L. (2020). Feasibility of Enceladus plume biosignature analysis: Successful capture of organic ice particles in hypervelocity impacts. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 55(8). https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.13554
Synonyms
Material Properties
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 49 |
| Crystal structure | Face centred tetragonal |
| Electronic structure | Kr 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p¹ |
| Valences shown | 1, 2, 3 |
| Atomic weight( amu ) | 114.82 |
| Thermal neutron absorption cross-section( Barns ) | 194 |
| Photo-electric work function( eV ) | 4.12 |
| Natural isotope distribution( Mass No./% ) | 113/ 4.3 |
| Natural isotope distribution( Mass No./% ) | 115/ 95.7 |
| Atomic radius - Goldschmidt( nm ) | 0.157 |
| Ionisation potential( No./eV ) | 3/ 28.0 |
| Ionisation potential( No./eV ) | Apr-54 |
| Ionisation potential( No./eV ) | 2/ 18.9 |
| Ionisation potential( No./eV ) | 1/ 5.79 |
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Material condition | Polycrystalline |
| Material condition | Soft |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.45 |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.45 |
| Bulk modulus( GPa ) | 35.3 |
| Bulk modulus( GPa ) | 35.3 |
| Tensile modulus( GPa ) | 10.6 |
| Tensile modulus( GPa ) | 10.6 |
| Hardness - Vickers( kgf mm⁻² ) | 10 |
| Tensile strength( MPa ) | 2.6-4.5 |
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Electrical resistivity( µOhmcm ) | 8.8@20°C |
| Superconductivity critical temperature( K ) | 3.41 |
| Temperature coefficient( K⁻¹ ) | 0.0052@0-100°C |
| Thermal emf against Pt (cold 0C - hot 100C)( mV ) | 0.69 |
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Boiling point( C ) | 2080 |
| Density( gcm⁻³ ) | 7.3@20°C |
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Melting point( C ) | 156.6 |
| Latent heat of evaporation( J g⁻¹ ) | 2024 |
| Latent heat of fusion( J g⁻¹ ) | 28.5 |
| Specific heat( J K⁻¹ kg⁻¹ ) | 234@25°C |
| Thermal conductivity( W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ ) | 81.8@0-100°C |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion( x10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ ) | 24.8@0-100°C |
Tolerances
| Thickness | <0.01mm | ±25% |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 0.01mm - 0.05mm | ±15% |
| Thickness | >0.05mm | ±10% |